Power Rangers: Dragon Rangers
by Ninmast
Summary: Five teens harness the power of dragons to defend their world from demons.
1. Heart of a Dragon

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Author's Note: Although the monsters in this story are, of course, fictitious, the central human characters are not. They are real people that I have met, and I have gone through the trouble of asking their permission to make them Rangers. I have even asked how they would respond to certain situations so I could do an accurate representation of them. Of course, none of them are real Power Rangers. Although the fictitious characters, powers, etc. found in this story are of my own creation, the original concept of Power Rangers belongs to Saban, Inc. Anyway, that's my disclaimer, now I hope you enjoy the story.

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Power Rangers: Dragon Rangers

By: Ninmast

Episode 1

The Heart of a Dragon

The two of them walked down the carpet to the far end of the throne room. One, the brother, was tall, with an extremely muscular build, red skin, and tentacles coming out of the top of his head, going down his back as if they were long dreadlocks. The other, his sister, physically similar, only shorter, with blue skin, her tentacles tied back in a long, braided ponytail, and boasting a definitively female form. Both of them, however, were clad in a black leather uniform, far more decorated than those that lined the hall on either side, the brother's covering most of his body, while the sister's was a two-piece that left the stomach and most of her legs bare. Those on the side were all physically identical. They all looked like ninjas wearing black leather suits, except their eyes were sunk back into their skulls, and were as black as marbles. All of the beings in the hall wore the same mark, one of a black dragon, on their chest. Where on the chest corresponded to rank. The soldiers on the sides all had their mark in the middle of their chest, marking them as the lowest. The brother and sister, however, wore a smaller one over their hearts, labeling them as the highest of the high.

The far end of the throne room consisted of a set of steps that led up to a large, beautiful throne that stole the vision and focused it upon itself, so grand was its design. In front of this throne were two smaller ones, less magnificent, and less attractive, but nonetheless regal. These two smaller thrones were where the brother and sister went, each taking a seat in one, the sister on the left, and the brother on the right. The brother sat erect, with the air of a soldier at the ready, the truth of it evidenced by the broad sword he wore at his side. His sister, however, sat down in a casual way, sprawling herself in the most comfortable way she could find. The staff she constantly carried, however, pointed at her own skill as a fighter, as well.

Startled murmurs went up as a green being suddenly burst into the hall. His appearance was such a shock that even the brother and sister snapped to attention, staring at the featureless character that now stopped in front of them and bowed low. The creature uttered a rush of garbled, incoherent noises as if he was trying to explain something.

The brother suddenly got an irritated look on his face as he slammed his fist down on his armrest. "What's wrong with you, Morphaeus? Pull yourself together!"

Immediately, Morphaeus stood back up, and almost instantly, his features became more definite. His head developed eyes, a nose, and a mouth. His body solidified into a muscular build with a black uniform similar to the brother's, with a long sword strapped to his back. His skin, however, remained green.

"Forgive me, Lord Kligaden, Lady Kara," he said, bowing properly to both of them in turn. "But we believe our scouts have found the Dragon Sword."

Kligaden and Kara had relaxed after the hall had quieted down from Morphaeus's sudden entry, but they tensed again as a new, agitated murmur filled the hall.

"Silence!" Kligaden shouted over the din, and immediately, the room was quiet again. Leaning closer to the green general's face, he said, "Now, you are saying that you have actually found the Key to the Hearts of all Dragons? Or do you only 'believe' you have?"

"We have, truly, my lord."

Kligaden grabbed Morphaeus by the neck of his uniform. "The Dragon Sword is the tool we need to bring back our Queen. This is of utmost importance. Are you sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this is really the Dragon Sword?"

"Yes, my lord!" Morphaeus gasped.

Kligaden threw him back down with a toss of his hand. "You had better. If I find out that this is another dead end, I will see to it myself that you never make such a mistake again. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Morphaeus responded in a rush.

Suddenly, Kligaden looked furious. "You dare refer to me with the title used for an officer!? I am the lord of demons, unmatched by anyone!"

"Please, my lord," Morphaeus responded, backing up with his hands raised in front of him. "Please, I slipped! It will never happen again."

Kligaden picked his sword up and brought it back. "On that, Morphaeus, we agree!"

"Kligaden, no!" Kara placed her hand on her brother's shoulder. "You are of an offensive personality, brother. You frightened him, and he responded accordingly. He did not mean to offend you. He is our greatest general. Surely there is a better way to go about this, if it needs to be dealt with at all." Kligaden lowered his sword and fell back into his throne. "Good boy." She turned to Morphaeus. "Now, if you think that this is really the Dragon Sword, go and get it, and bring it back to us. Then we will decide for ourselves if it is, oh, how do the mortals say it now? The real McCoy?"

Morphaeus bowed and saluted at the same time, bending down on one knee, and putting his fist over his heart. "As always, Lady Kara, your beauty and wisdom is beyond compare. I shall not fail you."

"See that you do not. I may not be able to restrain my brother's hand the next time. Oh, and Morphaeus," she said as an afterthought as he was leaving the hall.

"Yes, my Lady?"

"Take the Demonkin with you. They might prove useful."

"Thank you, my Lady." Morphaeus bowed again, then turned to leave, the ninjas on either wall falling in behind him.

When they were alone again, Kligaden turned to his sister as she sat back down, disgust in his eyes. "You are entirely too soft with them, Kara."

Kara smiled at her brother. "And you are entirely too hard on them, Kligaden."

Kligaden got up and started stalking the room. "I don't even see why we are still looking for the blasted thing. It's been ages since the Queen last sat in her throne. I'm beginning to wonder if it's all only a myth."

Kara walked over and put her hands on his shoulders. "Calm down, brother. If you stomp any louder, the humans might hear you."

This, however, only made him stomp louder. "Humans," he snarled. "I can't stand them! Filthy weaklings! We sit here in this dark hole that they banished us to, amid chaos and disorder, and they get to sit in their dimension of light, laughing and playing. Ha! How disgusting. It makes me want to puke."

"Please don't, brother. We just had the floor polished."

"Funny, Kara. You just sent a troop of demons into the human world, wasting valuable resources. And for what? To chase a dream! And you think you have room to joke?"

"That dream is the only thing that holds our world together. It's the only thing that keeps every demon from giving up on everything that we believe in. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Perhaps some of us have already given up on those pathetic 'beliefs,' sister."

"Oh, well," Kara said as she patted him on the shoulder. "Perhaps when Morphaeus returns, you faith will be rekindled. But at least wait until he does return before you start marking the end of the world, will you?"

"Very well," Kligaden sighed. "I will heed your advice and wait until he returns, with or without the Dragon Sword."

* * *

The swords of the two knights clashed with a resounding ring. Both strained to force the other away, neither giving an inch.

"You killed my sister," the knight in blue yelled. "I will make sure you pay with your life!"

The red knight struggled to hold his ground against the increased fury of the blue knight. "I didn't do it! I would never harm her! Please, stop this senseless fighting! I don't want to hurt you!"

The blue knight broke away from the sword lock, yelling, "You should have thought about that before you told such a bold-faced lie!" With a shout, he hit the red knight's sword just below the hilt, knocking it out of his hand.

The red knight turned with a gasp to watch it fly for an instant, then he turned around to face the blue knight again. "It's time to end this!"

The blue knight grinned widely as he pulled his sword back again. "I couldn't agree more."

The blue knight charged the red one again. With a cry, the red knight jumped into the air, and knocked the sword out of his hands with a tornado kick. The instant he landed on the ground, he jumped again, this time, kicking straight out, catching the blue knight in the chin, and sending him to the ground. In another instant, the red knight jumped on top of him, grabbed hold of his shirt, and pulled his fist back, ready to end it.

The blue knight held his hands up. "Okay, okay, that's enough! It's just a movie! You don't have to take it so seriously!"

The red knight smiled as he released him, and offered his hand to help him up. "Sorry about that, Joe. I guess I just got excited. So, what did you think? I thought it went well."

Joe smiled. "It was pretty good, David. It went together pretty well."

"Pretty good," David yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "Pretty well? I think it was the best scene yet!" He turned to Jesse, who was by far the biggest of his friends, but also the most pessimistic. "What did you think, Jesse?"

"Not bad," he said, scratching behind his ear. "It'd help if you had a camera, though."

"Finally, Jesse," Adam exclaimed, turning to face Jesse. "We found something we agree on!" Although Adam was David's brother, Jesse was more David's friend than Adam's, and they more or less only tolerated each other.

David grinned widely. "Yeah, one of these days, we're going to have to get one of those."

"You'd never be able to do that in a real fight, though," Jason said from under the tree he was leaning against. Jason was Joe's brother, even though he was black and Joe was white. He was also ten times better than any of them in martial arts. Now, he walked over in front of David and picked up a long stick, holding it out in front of him in the position that Joe had taken. "Do that to me, and let me show you where you had problems."

David paused. "Are you sure? I mean, I wouldn't want to hurt you, or something."

Jason laughed heartily. "You aren't going to hurt me, boy! You're too little!" Even though Jason was a year younger than him, and about the same height, Jason was a football player, and a big one, at that. He had a little over a hundred pounds on David, so he was justified in noting the difference.

David shrugged, then crouched down, preparing to jump. "Okay, here I come!" He jumped up, executing another tornado kick.

As David's foot came toward him, however, Jason turned the stick around and swung back, hitting David in the back of his ankle and throwing him off.

David, his form ruined, completely lost his balance in the air, and fell to the ground on his rear. He stood up as he rubbed his tailbone. "Was it really that easy to stop?"

Jason shrugged as he threw the stick, now in two pieces, to the ground. "It wasn't hard. Joe could have done it, but he's too little, too."

"Hey," Joe complained as he gently pushed his younger brother. He was as tall as Jesse, but, whereas Jesse was big, Joe was not. He was as skinny as Adam, and that was saying something.

"I'm hungry," Jesse said without preamble.

Jason dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "You're always hungry, big'un."

Another stomach growled even as he said this. "Okay, who was that," he yelled, mocking anger. "Whoever it was, I swear I'll tear it out of them!"

David raised his hand. "That was me. I'm always hungry after doing something like this."

Jason yelled as he threw his hands up, then pointed at the two of them. "You know what this is, right? This is mutiny! That's what it is!"

"Jase," Joe said, smiling, from behind, "you'd have to be our leader before it would be mutiny."

"Yeah," David joined in, "and since we're at my house, I'm the leader! So I say, let's go down to Arseans, and get a bite to eat!"

From the outside, Arseans Reandevoux looked like a small, wooden building with a few benches outside. On the inside, there was a crafts store and a snack area. This was where the group typically went to hang out, if they didn't just go to one of their houses.

"Hey, everyone," Mrs. Nezbitt, the storeowner, greeted them as they came into the building. "How's the acting coming?"

"Oh, it was great," David answered as they all took a seat. "I, like, did this awesome tornado kick, and knocked Joe's sword out of his hands."

"What he isn't telling you," Joe countered, grinning widely, "is that he had to use his body to fight, because I knocked his sword out of his hands.

Upon mention of the sword, David pulled the long sword out of its cover to look it over. He was glad that they had thought to make a duplicate of the real sword. The fake had really been taking a beating since they started using it. He hadn't wanted to use the real sword, which he had bought when he was in Texas on a trip, because he didn't want to take a chance on it being damaged. For some reason, it was very important to him, and he felt like it should be protected. Even the fake was a work of art. The skull cracker at the end of the hilt was the heads of two griffins, with a red gem in the center. The hilt, itself was made to resemble the coils of a great serpent, winding its way up a tree. The crossguard looked like a great, roaring dragon, or a demon. That was the part that none of them could figure out. At times, it looked like a majestic dragon, and at others, it was a demon so evil that they could hardly bear to look at it. The entire hilt was made of copper, so that it looked like fire in the sun.

Jason was flirting with the girl behind the counter, Christie Hampton. He turned around, saying, "Isn't that right, David?"

"Huh?" David snapped out of his trance, trying to catch up on what he hadn't heard.

Jason just grinned widely. "Boy, you got to learn to listen to me! I was telling Christie that I helped fix one of your moves this afternoon."

"Oh, oh, yeah," he said, slightly embarrassed that he had zoned out like that again. It seemed like it was happening more and more often. "He did. Actually, he's not telling you the whole story. He threw me on my rump, and made it look so easy that a child could do it."

"Again?" Christie sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "Jason, either he's making a lot of mistakes, or you're just enjoying knocking him around."

"Both," he admitted with a shrug. Then he turned to everyone else in the room. "So, what are we going to get on the pizza today?" He waited, but no one spoke up. Jesse and David shifted uncomfortably. "C'mon, people! I'm buying! I need to know what you want on your pizza!"

"Jason," Joe said from the far corner of the room, "you know they hate handouts. Just order a couple of Supremes and be done with it."

Jason shrugged as he turned back to give Christie the order. "And throw in a peach float for each of us," he added after pausing for a moment.

David was on his feet, hands in the air in a moment. "You don't need to do that, Jason! You don't need to put out that kind of money!"

"Well, then, if you don't want a float, what do you want to drink?"

David felt his face grow hot with embarrassment. "I've got water at home that I can drink."

Jason laughed again as he grabbed the first float that Christie set on the counter and shoved it into David's hands. "Drink up, Christiansen. You aren't getting out of this one."

Christie's shift ended while they were eating their pizza, and she went over and joined them, reaching right in their midst to grab a big slice, cheese stretching out behind it.

"Hey," Jesse said in complaint, staring in shock as the slice disappeared into her mouth. "I had my eye on that piece!"

"Well, you should have had your hand on it, instead, shouldn't you?" she retorted in between bites, a bright smile crossing her face.

"She's right, big'un," Jason said, reaching for another big slice as he watched the shocked look on Jesse's face direct toward him. "You've got to be fast in this group." He turned to Christie after he swallowed his first bite of the slice. "Good pizza."

"Thanks," she said around a mouthful of her own.

Jesse just slumped down on the table and contented himself with one of the small pieces.

* * *

They were walking down the road, heading back to David's house to pick up the stuff they had left there and leave. Christie was with them, since Jason was to give her a ride home.

She shifted a large frying pan under her arm for the hundredth time. Jason saw and mentioned it. "Christie, why in the world are you carrying around a frying pan?"

"It's my mom's," she answered, shifting it uncomfortably yet again. "I needed it for work today because we couldn't find the one Mrs. Nezbitt had. We found hers, though, so now, I'm taking this one back home." She waved it around threateningly. "You give me any trouble about it, and I'll smack you on the head with it!"

They had just gotten up to the house when it happened. Out of nowhere, a group of ugly creatures appeared, seeming to form out of the ground, itself. They came up like water, solidifying into what looked like black ninjas. On their chests were crests of a black dragon. Their faces were little more than skulls with skin pulled taut over them. Their eyes were black marbles, sunken back in their sockets. There were 15 of them, which meant that they outnumbered them a little less than three to one.

Out of instinct, the six of them backed off, horrified by what they saw. Christie gasped, almost dropping the frying pan.

"What are those things," David demanded, not daring to take his eyes off of them.

"I don't know," Jason answered, also fixed on the creatures, "but they are the ugliest things I've ever seen."

"They're horrible," Christie moaned, backing up against a tree.

A deep laugh echoed out from behind the creatures, and they parted to let another creature through. This one also wore a black leather suit, but he was larger, and more muscular. He looked more human, although his skin was green, and his eyes were blank. A long sword rested on his back, ever ready for battle. "Yes, I agree, my dear," he said, his voice deep and rough. "They are quite horrible. Trust me, the only thing you'll find more frightening then their looks is how cold-hearted they are when they fight. They are emotionless, without the burden of feelings or pain, completely loyal, and infinitely replicable."

"What are they," David asked again.

The being turned his gaze to David, measuring him up as an opponent. As he did so, his eyes rested on the hilt of the sword. David noticed, and tightened his grip.

He saw the gesture, of course, and smiled widely before answering his question. "They are Demonkin, the foot soldiers of the Evil Queen's Dark Army."

"And you?" Jason stepped forward as he addressed the creature, staring him down as he squared his shoulders, trying to make himself look as big as possible. "Do you have a name? Or are you just big, green and bald?"

The being snarled at Jason, baring his teeth. "I am Morphaeus, High General of the Dark Army! No human mocks me!"

Jason grinned widely back at him. "I just did. Do you want to make something of it?"

Morphaeus almost launched himself at the boy, but held himself back, reminding himself of his mission. "No, not this time, not yet. I have other pressing matters to deal with at the moment. Don't worry, though. As soon as they are taken care of, I'll be back to rip you to shreds."

Jason didn't even flinch. "Fine, then. Go. I'll be here waiting for you."

It was Morphaeus's turn to grin. "You misunderstand me, human. My business is here. I've come to take the Dragon Sword. You weaklings will relinquish it willingly, or I will take it from your decapitated bodies."

They looked around at each other in shock. Finally, David turned back to him. "Leave us alone! We have no idea what you're talking about. We don't know of any Dragon Sword."

"Don't you? Why, my boy, it is the very sword you wear at your waist this instant!" Morphaeus brought his fist up in front of himself threateningly. "Now, give it to me, or die!"

David stepped back toward the group, whispering to them quickly. "What should I do?"

"Give it to him," Joe whispered back, grasping the real one that had been leaning up against the other side of the tree. "Let's see what he does with it."

"Right," David nodded. He walked forward from the rest of the group, drawing the sword and holding it out to him. "Fine," he said angrily. "Take it! You outnumber us, and fighting you would be stupid. Take it, and leave us!"

Morphaeus yanked the sword from his hand and watched as he backed toward the group again. Then the monster smiled. He smiled wider than he ever had in his life. "You foolish children! You have no idea of the power you had in your grasp! This sword holds the power of the Dragons! The very power the Dark Army needs to bring back our Queen! You stupid, weak, filthy humans! You have just handed over the entire universe to the Dark Queen of Demons!" He smirked at them as his eyes closed to slits. "Just so you don't feel left out, let me show you the power that you have given us!" He thrust the sword up into the air, throwing his face up to the sky. "Great Dragons of Power," he shouted, "I summon thee! Grant me the power you hold!" He stood there for a moment, waiting. Finally, he brought it back down. "What? Nothing's happening! But why?" He brought the sword down to look at it, and he saw the imprinted label. "What's this," he shouted in a rage. "Made for David Christiansen by Custom Novelty?" He threw the sword into the ground with a growl. "It's a fake!" He spun back toward them. "You thought you could trick me by giving me a fake sword, did you? Well, guess again! Now, you're all going to pay!" He brought his hand around, pointing at the group. "Demonkin, attack!"

As the creatures rushed forward, the group broke up. Joe spun as he drew his own sword, tossing the Dragon Sword to David. "David, catch!"

David spun around and caught it in one hand, bringing it around to slice at the stomach of a Demonkin that had charged right in front of him. To his surprise, instead of drawing blood, the strike threw sparks. "What are these things," David asked as it staggered back and he spun around to swing at another one, getting the same result.

"I don't think it's them as much as it is the sword," Joe yelled back, struggling with several of them at once, though his sword seemed to have no effect on them at all.

"They're sure a lot tougher than anyone I've fought before," Jason said, throwing one of the Demonkin into another, then turning to kick another in the stomach before nailing it in the head with an elbow. "But they can't be invincible. Or can they," he said in surprise as the one he had hit hard in the head straightened up without any difficulty.

Morphaeus just laughed. "They're a lot stronger than any human could ever be, you pathetic fools. You don't stand a chance!"

"Uh, guys," Christie yelled from where she was cornered by the tree. "I … could use … a little … help here!" Each time she paused, she took another swing with the heavy frying pan at the Demonkin that had her cornered, but they were steadily getting closer.

"I've got you, Christie," Jesse yelled, slamming his full 235 pounds into the Demonkin that was closest to her, sending it to the ground. He turned around, yelling, "Run!"

She nodded quickly, but turned around to see more Demonkin staring her right in the face. She screamed right before one bent down, slamming its fist into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Another one grabbed her by the hair, while a third kicked her back into the tree, where she crumpled down, unconscious.

"Christie!" Jesse cried, yelling for his cousin. Before he could do anything, the other two that had been cornering Christie grabbed his arms, twisting them around behind him. He yelled in pain as they snapped. The third one that he had tackled came up and kicked him in the stomach. As his face went forward, it punched straight into it, shattering his glasses and knocking him out.

"No!" Jason yelled, punching a Demonkin in the face before moving toward them. Before he could go anywhere, one grabbed him from behind. He sent an elbow to its face, forcing it to let go, but the Demonkin from the others mobbed him, beating him down.

"Jason!" Joe reached out toward his brother, but a Demonkin grabbed his sword hand, twisting it around and forcing him to drop it. Another one kicked him straight in the face, almost exactly like David had done earlier. Only this time, it wasn't fake. Joe went over backwards, landing on his back, his eyes rolling around blank. They had knocked him out cold with one blow.

David turned around from the two that he was trying to deal with. No matter how much he swung, they kept on coming back. He saw Joe and ran toward him, yelling his name.

A large hand grabbed him by the shoulder and threw him down. David rolled over to see the sneering face of Morphaeus staring back at him. "You can't help them now, boy. You're mine, you insolent little pest! I would have chosen the big, mouthy one, instead, but the Demonkin took care of him. But since you have the sword, and you tried to trick me with the fake one, you'll make a fine second-place candidate!"

"Lucky me," David muttered, rolling out from under him and back on his feet.

Morphaeus just smiled at him. "Don't bother resisting, boy. If you can barely hold off a couple of Demonkin, you don't stand a chance against an elite officer such as myself!" With a back swing of his hand, he sent David into the rock wall of the house, where he slumped down, grunting with the pain. Morphaeus stalked up to him, drawing his long sword, an evil grin spreading across his lips. "Now, time to die!"

Adam had picked up a whip he had made from a thick stick and a gold chain, and had been keeping his set of Demonkin at a fairly good distance by swinging it around in front of him. When he heard Morphaeus, he spun around, horror on his face. "David! No!" He brought the whip back and snapped it out, wrapping it around the neck of a surprised Morphaeus. He gave it a hard yank, tightening it as Morphaeus grasped at it, struggling to breathe. "David, are you okay?"

David struggled up. "Yeah. Thanks, bro. You just saved my life."

"Not yet, he hasn't," Morphaeus growled, getting a solid grip on the chain. With a shout, he snapped the heavy chain apart, sending twisted links everywhere. He spun around, his eyes shining with anger. "I'm going to kill you for that!" Before Adam or David could do anything, the monster had his sword drawn back and rushed at Adam at a blinding speed. A look of shock spread over Adam's face as the sword went through him. Morphaeus held it there for a moment before yanking it back out and kicking him to the ground.

David's eyes burned with tears, and his chest with rage. His brother. This monster had killed his brother. He staggered up before he knew what he was doing. He forgot all of the pain in his body. There was only one thing on his mind. Revenge!

Morphaeus spun around with a look of evil glee on his face. When he saw David, however, it evaporated. The boy he saw glowed with a red light. The jewel in the hilt of the sword glowed with an unnatural brightness. He stared in shock as the boy brought the sword back and ran at him, screaming at the top of his lungs.

With all of the strength of his anger and fury, David brought the sword down across the monster's chest, drawing an explosion of sparks as the monster staggered back, screaming as the pain seared across his chest in a blazing fire.

Morphaeus put his hand to the gash that ran down his chest, then held his hand up to his face, staring at it in shock. He turned to look at the boy he had so underestimated, and the boy stared back with fire in his eyes. Then he caught sight of something over the boy's shoulder. He returned his gaze to the boy. "We'll finish this later, boy! Demonkin, retreat!" He disappeared in a flash of light as all of the Demonkin melted away.

David held his fist up to where the monster had been standing. "Get back here, you murderer! I'm going to cut you to ribbons!"

What felt like a hand came down on his shoulder as a voice behind him spoke. "You must calm yourself, young one."

David looked to his shoulder, where a giant claw rested gently. He followed it up and behind him, and all of his anger disappeared, to be replaced by sheer terror. A giant monster was laying down right behind him. David yanked himself out from under the claw, spinning around to face the beast. "Another monster? Let me guess, you want this sword, too, huh? Well, too bad! It's the only thing that will let me kill that murderer. Kill me, if you want. My brother's gone, so I have no reason to live!" He staggered back, trying to take a fighting position while still craning his neck up to stare at the thing. "I'm not afraid of you, you monster! Come and get me!"

The beast seemed to smile as it bent its long neck down so it could be at eye level with David. "Let's get a few things straight. I'm not a monster. I'm a dragon. That sword belongs to me, anyway, and you wouldn't be able to harm me with it if you tried. Finally, none of your friends are dead, not even your brother. Come with me, and I can help them. You must hurry, though, for your brother's life force is fading quickly, and if we don't help him, he will die, and all of the things you've said will be true."

David let his sword arm drop as he turned to look at his brother, his shirt soaked in blood. His chest moved slightly. No, he wasn't dead. Not yet. He went over to him and bent over to pick him up, then turned back to the dragon. "Let's go."

* * *

"You called retreat from a cut and a bunch of kids?" Kligaden yelled at Morphaeus, who once again knelt before him and Kara.

"I was going to finish him off, my lord, but a dragon appeared behind him!"

"A dragon? That's preposterous! The dragons have been sealed up for millennia, ever since they were used to defeat us before!"

"With all due respect, my lord," Morphaeus said, groveling before them, "that sword is the key to the heart of all dragons. It was the sword used to seal both demons and dragons before. Surely, it would have the power to remove the seal."

"He's right," Kara said, placing a restraining hand on her brother's shoulder. "If anything has the power to release the dragons, it is the Dragon Sword. After all, that is why we wanted it."

Kligaden jumped up with a roar, slamming his fists into the arm of his chair. "You should not have run!"

Kara stood up and grabbed her brother's arm. "Kligaden! We hardly equipped him to deal with a dragon!" She waited until Kligaden relaxed and sat back down, then turned to him, hands on her hips. "At least you know that it really does exist, brother."

"Yes," he agreed sarcastically. "That's wonderful news, Kara. Only one problem, though. It's in the wrong hands!"

Kara just smirked at him. "Don't worry. They haven't unlocked the full power of the dragons yet, and they won't get the chance. They are still too weak to stop us."

* * *

"What happened," Jason asked as he came around. He took in his surroundings. He was in what seemed like a large cave, the dark ceiling high above, out of reach of the light that seemed to come from everywhere. "Better yet, where am I?" He struggled to sit up, but a hand came down on his chest.

"Shhh," Christie ordered gently, pushing him back down. She had a wrap around her head, but seemed to be okay otherwise. "You shouldn't be getting up yet. You're still pretty battered from the fight."

He gave her a funny look. "Well, that's because they all ganged up on me!"

She smiled lightly as she gently punched him in the shoulder. "Well, next time, maybe you'll remember to play nicely with the other kids, and you won't end up knocked out for so long!"

"How long was I out?"

"A couple days," she answered, pulling at the skin on his forehead with her thumb to get a better look at a black eye he had gotten. "Everyone else woke up before you."

He watched as she took a strip of cloth and wetted it. "So everyone's okay?"

"Not everyone," she said sadly, stopping what she was doing to look over at another bed.

Jason shifted to see David leaning over Adam, who was still unconscious.

"You said this would help," he heard him say. He couldn't see who he was talking to. "How long until he gets better?"

A voice came from somewhere Jason couldn't see. "There is no medicine more potent than that of dragons, David. But you have to remember the condition your brother is in. His is a deep wound from the blade of a demon. He will need time to recover."

Jason moved to get up, much to the displeasure of Christie, but he pushed her hands away.

"You shouldn't be getting up yet," she said in protest.

"I appreciate the worry, Christie, but I'd prefer to gage my own body's wellness." Still, he was careful when he got up, putting weight on his legs a little bit at a time. He walked over to David and put a bandaged hand on his shoulder. "You okay, David?"

He spun away to face the wall. "I'm fine. I just wish I could say the same for my brother." He punched the wall as he shouted. "Darn it! It should have been me on that blade, not him! If he hadn't gone and saved me, …" his voice trailed off into sobs. 

Jason tried to find words to comfort him, but the voice that had spoken to David sounded behind him.

"Jason, I know that he is your friend, but you must let him be for the moment. As much as you would like to help him, there is nothing you can say at the moment to do so. Trust me. All of your friends have tried. I, myself, have attempted it, but to no avail."

Jason turned to face the voice, but staggered back as a large head stretched out of the shadows. "Another monster?"

The head dropped in exasperation. "Please, do not continue to call me a monster. I am a dragon. I am the owner of the sword that the demon coveted. Call me by my name, Phlogiston, the dragon of fire."

Jason stood there for a moment, then nodded when nothing else came to mind.

David flopped down in a chair next to Adam's bed. Jason stared at him for a moment, wanting to say something, but finally dropped his head and turned away as he and Christie walked over to where Joe and Jesse were sitting around a fire, cooking something in a pot.

Phlogiston put a claw on David's shoulder. "Come, you must eat."

David shook his head. "I'm going to stay here until he wakes up. He's going to wake up here pretty soon. He has to. He can't die. He's my brother." Tears ran down his cheeks as he slammed his fists down on the edge of the bed. "I should be the one laying there, not him!"

"Your brother did a brave thing when he saved you, David. Your bond is one that should never be broken, remember that. It was your feelings for him that fended off Kligaden and summoned me. What you did in your brother's name was incredible, never forget that. Your heart is great, even though it is plagued with grief. Whatever happens, you have the heart of a dragon."

* * *

__

Next time on Power Rangers: Dragon Rangers:

A red aura glowed around David, but it faded as he collapsed, exhausted.

"You have to keep trying, David," Phlogiston told him. "If you can't master my energy of fire, you will never have the power to stop Morphaeus."

* * *

David ran around the corner, coming face-to-face with Morphaeus and a squad of Demonkin. "Stop right there, Morphaeus," he yelled, pulling the Dragon Sword. "We've got some unfinished business to settle!"

* * *

A cloud of dust puffed up as Jesse opened the old tome. "Look at this, you guys! According to this, there are four other dragons!"

* * *

Christie lifted her head as the hand moved in front of her. She jumped up, a wide smile spreading across her face as she shouted across the den. "Everyone, come quick! He's waking up!"

* * *

David yelled as the blow knocked him over the edge.

* * *

__

Tune in next time for Power Rangers: Dragon Rangers!


	2. A Soul of Thunder

Episode 2

A Soul of Thunder

Red fire surged through David's veins as he struggled to hold the power of the mighty dragon.

"You must focus, David," Phlogiston roared. "You're letting it slip!"

Flames flashed around the boy, flaring up only to flicker back down to near-obscurity.

"Focus," the dragon roared again, shaking the stalactites on the ceiling, "Focus!"

David screamed as the flames flared up again, the fire searing through him as his body made one last vain effort to hold onto the power. The flames died down, then faded away as the power flowed back out of him, and he collapsed to the cold, stone floor.

"David, you must learn to focus," Phlogiston said, his voice quiet again. "If you cannot learn to harness my energy of fire, you will never have the power to stop Morphaeus."

"This kind of power could never have been meant for humans," David panted from his spot on the floor. He rolled over onto his back to look at the dragon. "Now, I know why legend has painted dragons as such fearsome beasts. How could you go around with so much power in you as if it were nothing?"

The dragon smiled as he looked down at him. "I have had it inside of me since my hatching, and that was a great many years ago. Besides," Phlogiston continued, stretching himself to his full height, "I am many times your size, my little friend, and I have a lot more room for it!"

Christie marched through the door with a furious glare on her face. "What's going on in here? You two are shaking up the whole place!"

"Do not fear, little one," Phlogiston assured her, bending his long neck down to her eye level, a smirk evident on his lips. "This den has been here for millennia. An entire demon army couldn't damage it. A little shouting won't bother it in the least."

"A little shouting?" she demanded. "You call that a little shouting? Your little shouting shook the ceiling! Or were you too busy training to notice?"

"Christie," David said gently, getting up on his feet and walking over to her, "we have to do this. If we don't, there won't be any way to stop the demons. You know that!"

Christie turned away, crossing her arms over her chest as she walked back out of the room, the other two following her. "I know, I know. I just wish there was a quieter way to do it. It wouldn't make much sense to do all of this training, just to kill us all in a cave-in."

They entered the living area, and David immediately separated from them to walk over to his brother's bedside. "I know, Christie. And, believe me, Phlogiston isn't an easy trainer. It's hard. It's gotten to the point where I can hardly sleep at night because the inside of my body feels like someone has pressed a hot brand against it." He put his hand over Adam's as he looked up at his face, a tear filling up one eye. "But Morphaeus is going to pay for what he's done. I can't let him do this to anyone else." He brought his free hand up in a fist as he spun around to face Christie. "He almost killed my brother, and I won't let him get away with it!"

He watched as Christie backed away in surprise at his sudden outburst. He dropped his head as he lowered his fist. "Sorry, Christie, I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just …" He looked over at his brother's face again as if he would provide him with the words.

Christie stepped back toward him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "I understand. Your brother's hurt badly, and you want revenge on the one who did it."

David shook his head. "No, it's more than that. It should be me there in that bed, but Adam risked his life to save me. I want more than revenge. I want to pay back a debt."

Phlogiston had stretched out in a corner. Now, he stood up as he strode back toward the other room. "Come, then, my friend. It seems we have more training to do."

* * *

Christie and Jason looked up as Joe and Jesse came in, dragging a jumble of cords and other odds and ends. They watched as they went around the room once, then decided on a place to set their stuff. Immediately, they were talking excitedly about what they should do next.

Jason shot Christie an apologetic look before they got up and went over to the others. "Now, what, exactly, are you boys doing over here?"

"What does it look like we're doing?" Jesse asked indignantly as he and Joe stepped aside to reveal a television set, the center of all of the rest of the attachments.

"A TV?" Christie moaned. "What did you guys plan to do with a TV down here? There's no electricity! Nowhere to plug it in! You don't even know how far underground we are! For all you know, we could be fifty miles under the surface! How do you expect to pick anything up here, assuming you could find power in the first place?"

"There's your power," Joe answered confidently, pointing to a large battery pack that they had hardwired to the television's power cord. "And as for reception, we found a crack that ran all the way up, and we ran wire up it for the antenna."

"Wait a minute," Jason said, holding his head. "Back up a bit. Did you say that you found a crack that leads up to the surface?"

Joe looked at him curiously. "Yeah. There's cracks all over the place that let the air circulate down here, so there had to be some that allowed the air to come down here in the first place. All we did was find one, then run wire up it."

Christie looked around the cavern with new wonder. "So there's more to this cave than we thought! Just how big is this place, anyway?"

Jesse shrugged. "Don't know. We've probably covered about the area of a floor of a large office building in the little exploring we've done, and we've come across some areas where we're sure there's other rooms, but we can't get into them."

Jason burrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean, you can't get into them? Were they blocked off by a cave-in?"

"No, not by a cave-in, just blocked off. Like someone barred them off from the rest of the area."

Jason reached up to scratch his chin. "I wonder if Phlogiston knows anything about them?"

"We've been meaning to find out," Joe answered, "but he's been spending so much time training David that we haven't had the chance to ask him."

"Haven't had the chance to ask me, what?" They all looked up as Phlogiston and David entered the room, both seeming to be exhausted, but both obviously proud of something.

Joe stepped up to the dragon hesitantly. "Well, we've been exploring the caverns, but there seem to be rooms that are blocked off from the others, and we can't get in. We were wondering if you knew anything about them?"

Phlogiston threw his head back and laughed heartily, causing them all to stumble to keep their footing as the cavern shook. "Of course I know about them! I know every inch of these caverns!" He settled down a bit before continuing. "Yes, those are, indeed, rooms of which you speak. But no one has been here for many years, and they were sealed off for preservation purposes. If you are curious about what is in them, I would be more than happy to tell you about them some time, and the seal is not incredibly difficult. I could teach you how to open it with little difficulty."

"Speaking of teaching," Christie said, shifting her gaze to David, "how is the training coming?"

Phlogiston surprised her by answering. "It is done."

Startled calls of surprise came from them in varied degrees.

David stepped forward, holding his left arm up, where a strange bracelet now rested. "Phlogiston gave me this to help with focusing his energy. It works like sort of a go-between." He held it forward to give them a better look. It had a thick, black band with a red face on the top. The face was about an inch thick, as wide as his wrist, and about three inches long. On top was a symbol of a flame.

"Cool." Jesse bent down behind the television to make some final adjustments. "Now, check out what we've been doing!" He came around and pushed the power button, but nothing happened. He looked at it a moment before pressing it a few more times, but without any results. "What's wrong? It should at least be coming on!"

David wondered around to the back, looking from the power cord to the battery pack. "Here's the problem," he said, switching a couple of wires. "You had some of your leads crossed. Try it now." He did, and it came on immediately.

__

{Like sands through an hourglass, so are the Days of Our Lives.}

Jesse snorted rudely as he turned away. "Figures. We get the TV running, and the first thing on is soaps!"

The picture fuzzed out to be replaced with the image of a frantic news reporter. _{We interrupt this program to bring you this emergency broadcast.}_

All of them gathered around to see what was happening.

__

{Viewers at home, this is not an act! I am in Osceola, Missouri, where a nightmare of horror has broken out in this quiet, little town. Strange creatures have started destroying the city.} Images of Demonkin filled the screen, chasing people and crashing anything in their path. Another shot showed a tall, green being as he sliced through a car with his sword like butter.

"Morphaeus," David growled, his lips tightening in a snarl.

The picture of the reporter came back on. _{It seems that the monsters are searching for something, but, so far, nothing is known of that search. Residents are warned to stay away from the downtown area, and to get as far away as possible in case the creatures extend their search further. We will continue to provide live updates as we can.}_

David straightened up as the report ended. "I'll give you three guesses what it is they're after, and the first two don't count!"

"The Dragon Sword," Christie answered immediately.

"But they'll never find it up there," Joe pointed out, "and if they can't find it, they'll destroy the entire city!"

David made a move to walk off, but Jason came up behind him.

"And where are you going in such a rush, boy?"

"Up. I can't stand by while Morphaeus tears up the city looking for us!"

Jason crossed his arms over his chest. "And what do you plan on doing when you get up there? You can't be planning on fighting the whole lot of them?"

David refused to look at him. "You heard Phlogiston. My training's done. I can summon his power to help me." He sighed as he picked up the Dragon Sword from a corner in the room, looking it over. "Besides, we don't have any other choice."

Jason put his hand on David's shoulder. "I'm going with you."

Joe was up in an instant. "I'm coming, too."

David just shook his head. "You can't. It will just be the same as last time. You can't do anything to them."

"This isn't the time to play Hero, David," Jesse said irritably from his seat. "Morphaeus will knock you around like a half-witted stepchild!"

"David is right, my friends," Phlogiston said, bending down to look at all of them. "You would be a hindrance. You cannot harm even the Demonkin with your present abilities. It would be best if you waited here. My power will protect him." He turned his great head toward David. "Hurry, now. Use the morpher. Time is running short."

A look of surprise passed over Joe's face. "Hey, wait! Did you say, 'morpher?'"

Before anyone could answer, David spun his arms around beside him, then threw them up in the air, as if he was holding something up. "Red Dragon Fire Power!" A red ball of light formed above his outstretched hands, flashed brightly for a few seconds, obscuring him, and then disappeared. When the light faded, he was in a red suit with a white dragon over his heart. A gold sheath was strapped to his back, and the Dragon Sword was already in it. His face was hidden under a red helmet with a black visor, and his hands and feet were covered with white gloves and boots.

"I don't believe it," Jesse said in awe. "You're a Power Ranger!"

Jason shook his head. "Nah, that's too overused." He walked up to David and clapped him on the shoulder. "You're a Dragon Ranger!"

"Whatever you want to call it," Joe said, "it's still incredible! A Ranger! And here, we thought it was only a TV show."

"Yeah, it's amazing," David agreed, bringing his fists up in front of him for emphasis. "You wouldn't believe how I've been busting to tell you about it!"

"David, you must get into the downtown area immediately," Phlogiston reminded him. "We can't allow Morphaeus to injure any more people."

"Right," David answered, sobering immediately. He reached for his waist, where the fire symbol now rested on his belt. In a flash of red lightning, he was gone.

"May the Power protect you, my friend," Phlogiston said quietly.

Joe looked back as the television went out again. He didn't need it, though. He could picture the Demonkin just fine without the help of any screen. "I just hope that will be enough."

* * *

David came around the corner to come face-to-face with a squad of Demonkin, and behind them, Morphaeus.

"Morphaeus," he shouted, pulling the Dragon Sword, "Leave the town out of this!" Then, when he had the demon's attention, he pulled his sword back, ready for the attack. "You and I are the ones with a score to settle!"

Morphaeus recognized the sword immediately. "The Dragon Sword! But that means that …" His memory flashed back to when the boy attacked after he had killed his brother. His mouth went into a humorless smile. "Yes, you're that boy, aren't you? The one whose brother I put a porthole through!"

"Shut up!" David screamed. "I'm going to make you pay for what you did to him! You're not going to get the chance to do it to anyone else!"

The humorless grin remained. "Very well, boy. Have it your way. Demonkin, attack!"

The creatures rushed in, but this time, David was ready. His upward slash caught the first one hard, sending it up over the heads of the others to crash into a light pole across the square. He hit another two as he brought the sword back across his chest, then spun around to slash another three in a tornado spin. The numbers were on him then. He sheathed the sword to deal with them hand-to-hand. He grabbed the first one to swing at him by the arm, throwing it over his shoulder into several others.

Morphaeus laughed as he watched. "Keep fighting, boy! You're getting swarmed! You can't stop them all by yourself!"

David growled as he landed from a tornado kick. "Laugh at this, you freak!" He jumped straight up, flipping as he drew the Dragon Sword again, fiery energy flashing up the blade. "Fire Slash!"

Morphaeus covered his eyes as it hit the center of the crowd of Demonkin. When the blast faded, he could only see the Demonkin that had been on the fringe. Those, too, faded away as that accursed boy landed back on the ground, sword already sheathed again.

"But how?" he snarled. "How could you defeat so many Demonkin? A mortal like you doesn't have the power!"

David spun around, standing arrogantly, daring Morphaeus to fight him. "That's where you're wrong, Morphaeus! I do have the power! I'm the Red Dragon Power Ranger, and you don't stand a chance!"

Morphaeus's expression was stunned for a moment. "Power Ranger?" Then his face returned to being arrogant and grim. "I see. I think I'm beginning to understand, now! That fool of a dragon let you use his powers, didn't he? And now that you've gotten rid of a few Demonkin, you're confident in your newfound strength, aren't you? Well, don't get used to it." He pulled his sword and watched as the boy did the same. "I hope you've taken care of your final business, because I'm about to send you on a one-way trip to visit your brother!"

The demon charged forward, and their swords clashed, throwing sparks. No sooner had Morphaeus clashed than he broke away, spinning around and forcing David back further. Again and again, the demon forced the boy back until David's back was to a wall. Morphaeus leaned in as their swords clashed again, grinning sadistically.

"What's wrong, boy? Your powers not quite what you thought they were? That's too bad." He broke away, jumping back. "What a disappointment! You can't even carry through with your own threats! I can just picture how your brother will respond when he sees you!" Morphaeus's form melted, shrinking down to a more human size, and the form copied Adam's exactly. He looked at the ranger with disappointment and anger.

"You let me down, David! This guy killed me, and you let me down! You couldn't even make him pay! Some brother you are!"

"I thought I told you to shut up!" David charged forward, bringing his sword down in an arc, but Morphaeus's appeared just in time to block it.

"Yes, yes! Feed your anger! That's what gives you your strength! Feed the fire! Watch it burn," Morphaeus taunted, still in Adam's form. "Can you do it? Can you kill your brother all over again? Is your weak, pathetic, human heart strong enough to harm the face of your own flesh and blood?"

"You're wrong, Morphaeus!" David broke away, and with a yell, swung upwards, sending the demon back. He watched as Morphaeus melted back into his own form. "You're a liar and a deceiver! I don't get my power from my anger. It's my weak, pathetic, human heart that fuels me! My brother is alive, and outside the grasp of your bloody fingers! I don't care what form you take in death. It doesn't matter to me, but I won't let you disgrace my brother with your horrid mockeries!"

Morphaeus just laughed. "Don't think that my fingers are bloody for no reason, boy! I am far stronger than you will ever be! I will not be the one to die today!" He brought his sword back as it started to glow, then swung it around to point at David, firing green bolts of energy.

David yelled as the blasts hit him, sending him into the air as sparks flew. He landed on top of a car, rolling off and landing on the pavement in pain. He looked up to see Morphaeus walking over to him.

The demon came up to him, sheathing his sword. "There's something I want to show you first before I kill you, boy." He reached up and ripped the top of his leather uniform, revealing a deep, empty gash. "This is the mark you left when we first met. Even with my powers, I cannot get rid of it." He let go of his uniform as he reached back for his sword. "You have scarred me for the rest of eternity, boy, a feat that few can accomplish. For what it's worth, you can take that little piece of pride to your grave. Now," he said, pulling back the sword, "It's time to return the favor!"

David barely rolled out of the way in time as the sword came down, cleaving the car in two. He was breathing heavily already, but it seemed Morphaeus had barely begun to warm up.

The demon straightened up, turning around to look at him. "So this is the legendary power of the Dragons? Hah! Hardly seems worth it!" A look of surprise passed over his face as he watched the boy force himself back up. He smirked. "Back for more, are you? You're a real glutton for punishment, kid!" David rushed at Morphaeus, but the demon knocked the attack away, then kicked him back to the ground. "Don't you get it yet, boy? The dragons have gotten old! Their power has weakened to the point that it's barely there at all! And you think you can face me with the small amount of their power that you do possess? You're worse than a weakling! You're a fool!"

David struggled back up. "If they've gotten so weak, why are you so afraid of them? Your Queen must think they're worth something if she wants them so badly!" He had to keep him talking. He had to gather up his strength and form a plan. This guy was too strong for him to take on like this. He had to think of something, or he wasn't going to last much longer.

Morphaeus only smirked again. "You misunderstand our purpose yet again, boy! Our Queen had been dead for millennia, destroyed in the battle that ended in us locked away in a world of darkness and chaos. We plan to use the power of the dragons to resurrect her!"

* * *

Adam looked around, but all he could see was fog. He was walking over bare ground, with a few stones sticking out here and there. There was a large bandage over his stomach, but he couldn't feel it. There was something else here, something that he had to find. He walked and walked, but all he could see was the fog.

He heard someone yell. "David? Is that you?" He waited, but no one answered. He walked a little further before he heard the yell again. This time, it was followed by the sounds of a fight. He followed the sounds of the battle through the fog until it suddenly broke away in front of him.

Once it cleared, he recognized where he was. He was in downtown Osceola. Destruction was everywhere. Cars were smashed, light poles were bent over, windows were smashed, and a couple vehicles were even cut in two. In the middle of it all was the monster that had attacked them, trying to take David's sword. Across from him was someone in a red outfit. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was a Power Ranger! He stared at the scene, puzzled. For some reason, the ranger reminded him of someone, but he couldn't place it. Something about the way he stood, maybe. Then, as he heard them talk, it clicked.

"Give it up, boy! You can't beat me! Just give me the sword, and I'll make your death quick and painless, I promise."

"Some offer! Don't you have anything better? Like a vacation in Hawaii, or something?"

Adam recognized the voice immediately "David," he yelled. "David! It's me! Over here!" He wanted to go over and cheer his brother on. His brother, a Power Ranger! How awesome was that? "David!" But they didn't seem to notice him. In fact, the monster talked right over him, as if he wasn't even there.

"Actually, I do have another offer for you," he said as he leveled his sword out in front of him. "Which way do you want to be split? Sideways, or down the middle?"

David actually paused for a moment before answering. "Um, how about neither? You see, I just got this new outfit, and I'd hate to have to get it dry cleaned already."

The monster smiled grimly. "Very well. Beaten to death it is!" The demon charged him, swinging heavily. David got his sword up to block it in time, but Morphaeus faked out and slashed across his side, instead, drawing a shower of sparks as the blow sent David spinning back.

Suddenly, Adam couldn't speak. He could only watch as the monster stalked toward his brother. The demon brought his sword up.

"No!" Adam yelled as the mist slammed back around him again. He rushed forward into the fog again, trying to get over to his brother, but it had all changed back to the nothing it was before. Still, he was sure that his brother was just right ahead. He stumbled forward, thrashing in the fog. Finally, his sense of distance told him that this was where his brother had fallen. He bent down, running his hand along the ground, but couldn't find anything. He moved a little further, searching some more, but still he didn't find anything. He did it again, and finally his hand rested on something. He grabbed it in his hand as he picked it up to look at it. His heart fell in disappointment. It was just some oversized bracelet with a lightning bolt on it. He jumped back up and hurled it at the ground.

"Now, that wasn't a very respectful thing to do." It was a female's voice, strong, yet caring at the same time. Adam spun around to see the biggest snake he had ever set eyes on. No, it wasn't a snake, he noticed as his eyes took in more details. It had four legs, so it was actually a long lizard. Its scales were bright yellow, and its eyes were electric blue.

Adam staggered back as he took in the beast's full size. It was bigger than a house! "What are you?"

The beast pulled its head back, offended. "What am I? I'm a dragon! What else would I be? Don't I even get an apology?"

Adam was dumbfounded. "An apology?"

"Well, yes! That was my bracelet that you threw."

Suddenly, he realized what the dragon was talking about. "Oh! Sorry … uh," he struggled to think of the proper title to use addressing a dragon, but came up short. "Sorry. I'll go get it."

The dragon watched as he dug around in the fog until he found it again. He came back up with it and brought it back.

"Here," he said, thrusting his hand out in almost a flinching movement. "Sorry."

The dragon looked at him for a moment, then looked to the bracelet, then back to him. "Why don't you hold on to it for me? It doesn't really fit me, and it will probably serve you better, anyway."

Once again, Adam was confused. "Serve me? What do you mean?"

The dragon stretched up to full height. "I am Fulga, the Dragon of Thunder. That is no bracelet you hold in your hands. It is a morpher, the same thing that your brother used in the battle you just saw."

There was a moment where he realized he was being given a morpher of his own, but then what the dragon said about his brother sunk in. "David! I have to get to him!"

Fulga nodded. "Yes, you want to help him, don't you?"

Adam turned around to face her, a look of surprise on his face. "Of course! He's in trouble!"

"Very well. Then use the morpher to do so. I will stay by you to guide you in its usage. You must hurry, though, for your brother cannot last much longer."

Adam strapped the morpher to his wrist before he realized that he didn't know how to activate it.

"Just do what comes natural," Fulga answered him when he asked. He raised his arm to do it then, but she stopped him. "No, not here." She looked up, where the clouds parted to let down a shining beam of light that cut through the fog. "There!"

Adam stepped forward into the light, and he felt himself start to rise up.

"Go now, Ranger," Fulga called after him. "Go now, and save your brother! Do not fear, for the Power of Thunder is within your soul!"

* * *

Christie was changing the wraps on Adam's stomach, but when she pulled them back, the hole was gone. Nothing was left of it but an angry, pink scar just above his navel. A flash of light caught her eye, and she looked at his wrist, where a bracelet like David's had appeared there, but with a thunder bolt instead of a flame. She looked up as she saw his neck twitch. She turned around. "Guys," she yelled to the others. "Hey, guys! He's waking up!"

They all came over just as he was opening his eyes.

"Howdy, Rip," Jason said cheerfully. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like the dead," he answered, his voice rough from no use. He forced himself to sit up, swinging his legs off of the bed.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Jason put a hand on his shoulder to push him back down. "You aren't getting out of bed yet!"

Adam pushed the arm off of him and got back up. This time, he pushed himself off, holding on to the bed until he caught his balance. "I don't have a choice. David's in trouble. I have to go help him."

"No way, man," Joe said, getting in front of him. "You aren't in any condition to go help anybody right now!"

Phlogiston, however, caught sight of Adam's wrist. "Let him go. He's fine."

All of them looked at Phlogiston in shock. Adam, because it was the first time he had seen him. The others, because they couldn't believe what he was saying.

Finally, Adam managed to speak. "You're his dragon, aren't you? You're the one who gave David his morpher?"

"How'd you know about that?" Jesse asked from behind him.

Adam spun around, holding the arm with the morpher up. "Another dragon came to me while I was still asleep. She called herself Fulga, the Dragon of Thunder. She told me that David was in trouble, and she gave me this to use to help him." He waited impatiently as they all goggled over it, then yanked it back. "I have to go. There's no telling what might have happened to him!"

He stood back away from them, then moved his arms in the same motions David had used.

"Yellow Dragon Thunder Power!"

Yellow light flashed above his hands, and when it faded, he was in a suit identical to David's, except it was yellow and didn't have a sheath. He moved his hand to his buckle, and disappeared.

* * *

David watched as the sword was drawn back, helpless.

Morphaeus grinned widely. "Time's up, boy! Oh, excuse me, what did you call yourself? Power Ranger? Hah! I'll make sure it's on your tombstone." But a yellow light came flying through the air, wrapping itself around the sword and stopping it in mid-swing. "What?" he gasped, following the light back to yet another "Ranger," this time, a yellow one.

"So, you can take out one of us," the Ranger asked sarcastically. "Good job, I'm impressed! But you forgot the most annoying thing about us Rangers: Where there's one, the rest are sure to follow! Hah!" He gave a hard pull on the whip, yanking the sword out of the demon's hands.

Morphaeus watched as the sword flew over the Ranger, landing on the upper level of a hotel across the street. He turned back to glare at him. "My sword! You took my sword! I'll make you pay for that!" He rushed the yellow Ranger at full force, swinging his fist down in a heavy punch, but the brat spun out of the way, dealing a chop to the neck powerful enough to cause him to stagger forward. He turned around and charged again, this time swinging across, but the Ranger ducked under it again, sending a knee to his stomach, doubling him over. As soon as the Ranger brought his knee back, he jumped up, dealing a spin kick that sent Morphaeus flying twenty feet into a tree.

"That ought to hold him for a while!" He ran over to David, propping him up. "Are you okay, man?"

David groaned as he got up. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks for the assist." He turned to look at the yellow Ranger as he stood up, his confused face hidden behind his helmet. "Who are you?"

The Ranger clapped him on the shoulder. "What, you don't recognize me? It's me, Adam!"

"Adam? But I thought you were in a coma? How are you here?"

"I had some help." They turned as Morphaeus got up again, roaring as he burst the tree into splinters. "I'll tell you when we've got more time. "Right now, it looks like Ugly just woke up from his little nap!"

"You pesky Power Rangers! You're going to pay for that!" He held his hand up, and a flash of green lightning hit it as his sword was transported from the roof to his hand.

There was a flash as the two of them summoned their own weapons, David pulling the Dragon Sword, and Adam unraveling his Thunder Whip with a flick of the wrist. "Put your sword where your mouth is, Morphaeus," David yelled back. "I've heard that one enough for one day!"

With a roar, Morphaeus surged forward, but Adam and David both flipped over his head. Adam landed first, sending his whip out and wrapping it around the demon's waist. David landed right behind Morphaeus, who screamed as he started slashing. He broke out of the whip's grasp and turned around to swing at the red ranger, but David blocked before jumping out of the way again.

"I'm getting sick of this guy," David said, turning to Adam. "What do you say we get this over with?"

"I'm all for that," he agreed enthusiastically. "I'm all for nature green, but this guy looks like puke!"

"What was that?" Morphaeus demanded, stumbling around to face them.

"You heard me, Ugly," Adam answered. "Your time's up!" His whip glowed brighter as he brought it back. "Thunder Whip!" The attack flew forward, wrapping around Morphaeus and shocking him with millions of volts of electricity.

"It's time to send this guy back where he came from!" David jumped high, pulling the Dragon Sword back. "Fire Slash!" The attack came down, hitting Morphaeus hard. David landed as Adam drew the whip back in.

Morphaeus staggered for a few steps. "Curse you, Rangers!" he cried, then he fell down, exploding in a flash of fire.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" David faced Adam, as they gave each other a high five.

"That's one less demon we'll have to worry about!"

"That's what you think, Rangers!"

They spun around to see a lovely woman standing on top of the courthouse. No, they realized as they got a closer look at her. Lovely, perhaps. Woman, definitely. Human, no. She had blue skin, and her hair was a ponytail of fine tentacles. She had a long staff in her hand, and her leather outfit was a two-piece that showed her stomach and her legs, but had the same emblem over her chest as Morphaeus.

David stepped forward, his hand on the Dragon Sword. "Who are you?"

She smiled at them, right before jumping off of the building to land gracefully on the other side of Morphaeus's remains. "I am Lady Kara, Mistress of the Demon World, and I'm afraid I'm not quite finished with our fine General, here." The smile on her beautiful face disappeared as her fine eyebrows furrowed, and she stared down at the remains, twirling the staff above her head. "Arise, my servant, and finish the job you started!" Sparks started to fly from her staff, and she brought the base of it down into the remains. The energy flowed down into it as it started to pull itself back together. As she finished, she jumped back, smirking at them.

In an instant, Morphaeus was revived, and now towered over them, gigantic. "Miss me, Rangers? Ah, what's wrong? You look surprised to see me!"

Kara leaned against her staff, bending one leg back as she blew them a kiss. "Have fun, now, and don't play too rough! Buh-bye!"

Adam scowled at where she had stood before disappearing. "I don't like that woman!" He was brought back to his senses when Morphaeus stomped his foot, causing the ground beneath them to shake.

He brought it up again, this time aiming for them. They jumped out of the way in opposite directions, rolling under the eaves of buildings to hide.

"Darn it," David muttered, though he wanted to yell. "What are we supposed to do now? We can't fight him like this!"

He heard a voice that sounded like it was coming from inside his own head. _David, this is Phlogiston. Do you hear me?_

David put his hand up to the side of his helmet, as if to hold it in. "Yeah, I can hear you. What's going on? Why _can_ I hear you? Is there a transmitter inside the helmet, or something?"

__

No, nothing quite so advanced. Your link to my powers is allowing me to talk to you through our minds, though it is quite taxing, and I will have to make this short. I feel that Morphaeus's energy has greatly increased. What has happened?

"Rangers," Morphaeus called, unable to see them from his height. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

David peeked out from under his cover, careful not to be seen. "Well, let's just say that his energy isn't the only thing that's grown. He must be ten stories tall! Adam and I are trying to stay out of his sight. It's either that, or get crushed like bugs."

There was a pause before he heard an answer. _Summon us to your location. I believe Fulga and I have one more trick up our metaphorical sleeves._ The knowledge how to do so immediately filled David's mind. As Phlogiston broke contact, he turned toward Adam. His twin brother knew what he was thinking, and gave a quick nod. They jumped out from under the building, right in front of Morphaeus.

"We need Dragon Zord Power, now!" They yelled.

"Red Fire Dragon Zord!" David yelled, thrusting his hands out in front of him.

His sight seemed to zoom to a distant mountain. In an instant, the top exploded, spraying molten lava, fire and smoke everywhere. The hole blew wider as Phlogiston burst out, roaring loudly.

"Yellow Thunder Dragon Zord!" Adam yelled, thrusting his hands up above him.

Clouds so thick that they blocked out the sun filled the sky over a distant, windswept plain. Lightning and thunder clashed as the clouds swirled, opening up to let Fulga through, her yellow body glowing with the reflected light of the lightning strikes. She went low to the ground before spreading out two wide wings.

The two caught up with each other, zooming toward the rangers. A flash of light swept over them, and where it went, they seemed to become robots, all metal and joints.

Morphaeus looked up in surprise as the two Dragon Zords came flying in, and the two rangers took the opportunity to jump straight up, landing on top of their dragon's head. In another instant, they jumped through a hatch that opened on top.

"Incredible," David said in awe, looking over the controls as he landed in his seat. It was all buttons, levers, and blinking lights. Behind him was the red fire emblem.

"Whoa," Adam shouted in excitement as he slid into an identical cockpit, although this one was yellow with the thunder emblem behind him. "This is ten times better than any arcade I've ever been to! Hey, I wonder how fast this thing can go?"

"You know what's even more amazing than all of this," David asked over the radio. "I think I know how to drive it!"

"Yeah," Adam agreed, already starting to take over. "It's like second nature, or something."

Morphaeus grinned at them as they flew, making sure they were adjusted to it. "Come on, Rangers! Let's get this over with sometime today!" He drew his sword back, shooting more green blasts out of his eyes. He caught Adam's zord in the side.

"Adam," David asked, worried, "are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Adam answered arrogantly. "Don't worry about me. Worry about him! I think he left a scratch!"

David took a moment to laugh. "Okay, I think that's enough practice! Let's get this over with, huh?"

"Dragon Zord, Battle Mode!" they yelled together.

The zords stopped in midair, their bodies shifting. Phlogiston's neck tucked in as the torso swung down. The tail and legs folded in, and arms and legs came out. The chest opened as the dragon head went down, and an almost human head came up from behind. Fulga's thin body doubled over on itself before undergoing the same transformation. They landed on the ground at the same time on their new "feet."

Morphaeus was still grinning. "About time you come down and fight! I'm going to slice those tin cans of yours to shreds!"

The ground shook as both zords took fighting stances and Morphaeus charged. They both swung at him, but he ducked underneath, his sword slicing across their backs as it drew a shower of sparks. They spun around to face him again.

"Darn," David growled. "He really is stronger than before!"

"Yeah," Adam agreed, "but these things are made of some tough stuff! Check your gauges! He barely even touched them!"

"Hey, you're right," David said, looking over his console. He looked up, staring at Morphaeus as he brought his fist around in front. "Okay, let's show this guy why he shouldn't mess with the Power Rangers!" He turned to look at his brother's zord to his side. "Double Knockout, what do you say?"

"Sounds like a plan to me!" He turned back to Morphaeus, his zord gesturing with its hand. "Let's try that again, shall we, Morphaeus?"

"It will be my pleasure," he roared, running forward, but as he came, the two of them brought their fists that were between them back.

"How about a knuckle sandwich," David yelled as he came up to them, "courtesy of the planet Earth!" They sent both fists into his face, sending him flying back. It was a heavy hit, and he stumbled to get back up.

"I'll get you for this! No one disgraces Morphaeus and lives! Until next time, Power Rangers!" He brought his sword up in front of him, and he disappeared in a flash of green light.

"We'll be right here waiting for you," David yelled after him. His zord spun around to face Adam's. "Right, bro?"

"You got it, man!" Their zords gave each other a high five, then held it, giving an affirmative nod.

* * *

They came back to the den to a real hero's welcome. They were all clapping for them, and clapped them on the shoulders, so that, by the time they made it across to the other side, where Phlogiston and Fulga both sat, they felt like they had been bruised more than Morphaeus had done to them the entire fight. They still beamed proudly as they stood in front of them, David in front of Phlogiston and Adam in front of Fulga. They were still fully suited-up, but they had their helmets off and were holding them under their arms.

"That was incredible," David said in greeting.

"Yeah," Adam agreed. "And who knew that you guys could turn into zords? How did you do that, anyway?"

Fulga smiled down at him. "We can do a great many things that you do not yet know about. And, hopefully, you will never have to find out."

Joe came up behind them, staring at her quizzically. "But they won! Not only did they win, but they pounded the guy to smithereens! What could possibly stop them?"

Fulga turned her gaze to him sadly. "I'm afraid it isn't that simple. There is a lot more to the demons than just Morphaeus. They have plenty of dirty tricks that they won't hesitate to use against you. They will attack again, and they will not be happy about this first defeat."

"Come, follow me, all of you," Phlogiston said, getting up to head down one of the many halls. "It is time I showed you how to open those doors."

He led them to the very end of the hall, where a large slab of rock covered what looked like a doorway. "Pay attention, for I will only show you this once." He waited for them to gather around to get a better look. He took his claw and traced a star in the center of the slab, and it glowed in the claw's wake. Then he drew a Roman Numeral at each point, starting with I on top, and working his way down clockwise until all five points were labeled. He drew his hand back, then commanded it, "Open!"

All six of them gasped as the rock slid open like a well-greased electronic door. On the other side was a large library, with thousands of books lining the stone shelves. They felt a rush of air go past them as it filled what must have been a vacuum only a few moments ago.

He smiled widely as he watched their awed expressions.

"Come on, now, Phlogiston," Fulga scolded him angrily from behind. "Stop rolling in their expressions, and show them!"

He spun around to glare at her for ruining the moment before turning back to them. "Come on in, my friends. Have a seat. I have something to show you."

They sat at a long, stone table and watched as he went along one bookshelf, looking for a particular volume.

"Aha!" he cried as he finally found what he wanted and took it off of the high shelf. "Here it is!" He brought it over to them and set it down in front of them.

Immediately, David and Jesse had it open, skimming page after ancient page. Amazingly, the words were in some form of ancient English, and they were able to piece most of it together.

"Hey, guys, look at this," Jesse said as he flipped to a certain page. They gathered around to look over his shoulder. "Check it out, it's a picture of the dragons! And, according to this, there are still four others!" He looked it over. He pointed to a pink, graceful one. "The Dragon of the Wind, Simoon." Then to a blue one that looked like a great and terrifying fish. "The Dragon of the Water, Mellifus." A black one, like a great gargoyle, with giant stone spikes coming out of its shoulders. "The Dragon of the Earth, Alluvius." Then, finally, a white one that seemed to gleam like a thousand diamonds, and took up the entire bottom of the page. "And, the most powerful dragon of all, the Dragon of the Ice, Nip!"

"Nip?" Jason asked, giving Jesse and David a funny look. "The name of the most powerful dragon is Nip? Are you sure you read that right? Awfully funny name for a dragon to have, especially the most powerful one."

"Yes," Fulga sighed, remembering. "He was an interesting one, never dull. Always one to brighten the mood with some wise remark or another. He was as funny as his name implies. He was a great dragon."

Christie looked up at her. "You said that like he's gone. Did he die?"

"Yes, he did," Phlogiston answered sadly. "He was destroyed in the final battle, giving his life to stop the Dark Dragon, Calignus. Neither dragon survived, but Nip did not die in vain. It was his bravery that bought us the chance we needed to seal away the demon horde for good." He dropped his great head. "Or so we thought."

"This is what you wanted us to see, isn't it," David asked, looking down at the dragons on the page. "You're trying to tell us that, if they caused that kind of threat before, they've had centuries to build up again, and it could be worse than ever."

Fulga nodded. "Yes. You are correct. We need to release all of the other three dragons if we are going to have any chance at all of winning."

"But if the greatest dragon of all was destroyed last time," Joe asked, "how are we supposed to win without him, now that they've had time to get even stronger?"

"I don't know," Phlogiston sighed, shaking his great head. "Let's only hope that it does not come to that."

* * *

__

Next time on Power Rangers: Dragon Rangers:

The Dragon Rangers take a break from the den and head to the beach on the lakefront, intending to enjoy themselves a bit before the demons attack again.

But it seems that Lord Kligaden and Lady Kara have other plans. Can the Rangers defeat their deep-sea monster before it destroys the Truman Dam?


	3. To Brave the Waters

Episode 3

To Brave the Waters

Kara waved her staff as a glowing orb appeared in front of her and her brother. Kligaden growled as he looked into it. "Look at those brats! Playing around at the lakefront as if they didn't have a care in the world!"

"You know, brother," Kara said as she made the orb disappear again, "we should give them a few cares, don't you think?"

Kligaden smiled as he mulled the idea over. "Yes, that's a good idea. Why should they get to have all the fun?"

Morphaeus was already down on his knees in front of them. "Would you wish me to go after them again, my lord?"

"No, you incompetent fool," Kligaden snarled. "You've had your shot at them, twice! And you let them beat you both times!"

"It will not happen this time, my lord."

"No, of course it won't," he answered, standing. "Because I have another job for you. You will go down and infiltrate the human ranks."

"What?" Morphaeus yelped, shooting up as if he had just sat on a dagger. "You want me to be a human?"

"No," Kligaden answered, grinning sardonically. "I want you to do more than that. I want you to join their school, join their clubs, shop where they shop, and do whatever it is they do! I want you to get as close to those filthy Dragon Rangers as you possibly can! Do I make myself clear?"

Morphaeus gulped. "Yes, my lord. But might I inquire as to what form you would wish me to take?"

"I don't really care," Kligaden snarled as he waved dismissively, "and I don't know why you do, either. I don't think even you know what you really look like, you genderless, raceless freak. You just imitate whatever you think would suit you best. You disgust me every time I see you, trying to pretend you're really one of us. Now, go! Before I decide you aren't worth the effort!"

Morphaeus bowed quickly as he took his leave. "Yes, my lord." He turned on his heel and left, then fumed as the heavy throne room doors slammed shut behind him. "Genderless? Raceless? How dare he? I'm as much a demon as he is, aren't I? And regardless of where I came from, I've proven myself to the whole of the demon race more times than I care to count! I'm the one that should be getting rid of the Rangers, no one else! And yet, what does he have me doing? Going down and pretending I'm one of them! Who is it that they think can do so much better than me?" He leaned close to the door, automatically growing a large ear that he put up next to it.

"We still have the problem of who we are going to send," Lady Kara's sweet voice drifted from behind the door.

"No, we don't. Think, Kara! Who do we have that is unbeatable in water?" Lord Kligaden's rough voice answered.

Lady Kara's voice lifted as she figured out what her brother was talking about. "Crocigator! Oh, brother, you're a genius! Those two won't stand a chance against him in the water!"

Morphaeus pushed off the door in a rage as the ear disappeared into the side of his head again. "Crocigator? That's who they're sending out in my place?" He stormed down the hallway, throwing an unfortunate Demonkin through a wall as he passed.

Jason reached up, catching a football out of midair as it sailed over. He broke away from the game and went over to the others. "Why don't you guys join in?"

Joe stood up immediately. "Sure, I'll play, as long as I'm on your team."

Jason clapped his brother on the back. "I think that can be arranged. Adam? David? You two want to play?"

David stood up. "Why not? It looks like fun."

"No, thanks," Adam answered as they looked to him. "I'm not cut out for sports."

Jason gave him a funny look. "What do you mean, you're not cut out for sports?"

"Just that! You guys are playing tackle football, and most of the people are twice my size! I'd get squished!"

Jason shrugged. "Don't worry, Adam, we'll go easy on you!"

Joe stepped in, grinning. "You're the Yellow Dragon Ranger! Football can't be that hard for you!"

"No, I think I'll sit this one out."

Jason wasn't finished yet. "You can take on a big, ugly, violent demon, but you won't play football?"

"I can't take on a demon all by myself! I have to have my partner with me."

David blinked. "Your partner? I'll help you, I just want to play!"

Adam sulked; he had just used up his last excuse. "Fine...but only one game!"

Jason smiled. "That's all we're gonna play! I promise!"

Adam stood up. "Ok, then. You've got yourself a deal!"

"Of course, games can last all day," Jason added.

Adam groaned, but Joe stomped impatiently. "Can we play now?"

Jason was about to answer when they heard a blood-curdling scream from nearby, and they turned to see an overgrown crocodile rise up out of the lake with a squad of Demonkin.

"Muahahaha! Come back here and face me, you pathetic humans! Muahaha!"

Jason groaned. "Since when do crocodiles live in lakes and start talking?"

David shrugged. "They must be filming some twisted version of Alice in Wonderland."

The creature stepped toward them. "Such insolence! My name is Crocigator, and I'm a demon! Not a crocodile, you fools!"

Adam sighed, hiding his pleasure. "I guess it's back to work for us; the game will have to wait!"

Jason smirked as the demon approached; this one looked ... like a lizard.

"What game?" Crocigator roared. "By the time I'm through with you, you won't be able to play a game!"

Joe cocked an eyebrow. "Um ... that was really harsh."

Crocigator fumed with rage. "Let's hope you can fight with your hands better than your mouth, because I can!"

Jason made a face. "Fight with our hands? What?"

The demon growled. "You ... you ... humans! Prepare to be destroyed!"

Adam pretended to flinch. "That was original. Oh no! He called us humans!"

"Alright guys," David said, bringing around his morpher. "I think we've had enough fun. Adam and I will handle this. Jason, Joe…"

"Oh! Yes! You're a Power Ranger, aren't you? Well, you have to fight me! Because I'm stronger than you! Muahaha!" The demon laughed evilly.

David bit his lip to keep from laughing. The others could keep this guy talking all day while he quietly walked up behind it and jabbed his handy-dandy sword into it's-

"Hello? Ranger? I'm talking to you!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really!"

"Ok..."

"Muahaha! You'll know the meaning of the word, 'beaten really bad with lots of bruises,' means when I'm finished!"

Adam gasped. "Oh, my gosh! David! This one's ... stupid!"

The alligator/crocodile fumed with rage, sputtering, "That- That- ... That was an insult!"

"No ... really?"

Only about 100 yards from the impending chaos, Morphaeus stood behind a large tree, listening to the conversation and laughing at the mentally ill-equipped creature's replies.

"Those fools, the lizard can barely think! I shall greatly enjoy this!"

"Ok, I'm tired of this! It's Morphin' Time!"

"David!" Adam scolded, "For shame!"

"I'm sorry, but I've always wanted to say that!"

The creature laughed for the millionth time. "Muahahahahaha! That was your chance, ranger! Now ... you shall pay for those naughty insults! Didn't your mother ever…"

"Red Dragon Fire Power!"

"Yellow Dragon Thunder Power!"

Joe and Jason stood on the sidelines. "So ... what do we do?" Jason asked, half to himself, half to his brother.

Joe shrugged. "Get the civilians out of the area?"

Jason nodded. "Good idea! I'll take the main group in that wedding over there, and you can get ... everyone else."

"Ok..." Joe watched as Jason ran toward the ceremony; they had been in the middle of the vows when Demonkin started running around and knocking things down. Joe looked around. Surprisingly, the only people here, besides him and the others, were those in the wedding.

"I certainly have my work cut out for me! I'd better go get started!" Joe threw his hands up in sarcasm, then he saw a kid nearby with blue hair kicking some rocks around.

"... Blue? Maybe green, but blue? Better warn him, anyway."

David drew his sword. "Now, you can talk all you want!"

"Thank you! That's very polite of you to- ... Hey, wait!" David had already started hacking at the monster, and Adam was taking out Demonkin in groups at a time. As it turned out, Crocigator was a much better fighter than a talker.

"You bad humans! Both of you! You should know better than to tease people who look different than- Oh, never mind! Take that! And that! You ... bad humans!"

David reeled from the blows, staggering. "Stupid evil demon claws..." he muttered, sounding rather childish.

"My claws are not stupid! Your sword is! You're just jealous!"

"Of what, not needing industrial-sized nail clippers?"

"No, me! Because I'm smarter than you, stronger than you, and faster than you!"

David shook his head. He had heard those words before. Instead of wasting time talking, he focused on his attacks more, finding that the more this monster talked, the better he fought, as if encouraged by his own demented words.

"Hey! You!"

The blue-haired kid looked up, a creepy, unimpressed expression on his face.

"Kid, we've got to get you out of here," Joe yelled, though he was still a good distance away.

The boy kicked another stone, then ran in the other direction, right toward a cliff, and a group of Demonkin.

"No, kid," Joe shouted urgently. "That's the wrong direction!"

He ran forward, heedless of the Demonkin as they came at him, and surged through them like a wave, pushing them mindlessly out of the way in a mad dash to reach the boy. He burst through the other side as the Demonkin stumbled away from his sudden force. He stopped as he broke clear, and he saw the boy standing on the edge, looking back at him. Joe took a step forward, but the boy turned around and jumped, diving like a professional swimmer off of a high-dive.

"No!" Joe shot forward again, ignoring the Demonkin as they tried to grab him from behind. In a moment, he had reached the ledge, and jumped in after the boy, mindless of the drop to the rough water below.

He hit the water hard, the breath knocked out of him by the force of the fall. He broke the surface gasping for breath as he struggled to tread, but couldn't see the boy anywhere. His eyes caught sight of something on the shore, and he swam over as fast as he could. It was the boy, facedown in the sand. He flipped him over and put his ear to his chest, listening for a heartbeat.

"Don't worry," the boy suddenly said in his ear. "Your selflessness, itself, is enough to prove you worthy."

Joe jerked back in surprise, but the boy dissolved into the water around him right before his eyes. Joe staggered up, but a sudden undertow grabbed him and pulled him back out to the water.

Adam had finished the Demonkin, but it was taking both of them to hold off Crocigator's furious assaults.

"Ha, ha har," Crocigator crowed. "You look like you're getting tired! Stupid Rangers! You can't beat me! You're too weak, which means that I'm too strong! Ha, ha har!"

David and Adam stumbled back, unable to handle the demon's brute force. David grunted as he grabbed his shoulder, the target of Crocigator's last attack. "These suits may take a lot of damage, but those claws of his still pack a punch!"

Adam stepped forward, summoning his Thunder Whip with a flick of his wrist. "I'll take care of that!" He brought his arm back, and sent the whip flying forward, wrapping it around Crocigator's arms and down around his feet. "Ooh, yeah! Hog tied!"

"Yeah," David called, cheering his brother on. "Nice shot! Now, let's brand him!" He jumped up into the air, aiming to slash down onto Crocigator from above.

At first, Crocigator only chuckled, and Adam felt his grip start to slip. He looked up and yelled to his brother, "David, stop! I can't hold him!"

At this, Crocigator broke out into a full-fledged roar of laughter. "Mua ha ha! Nice call, Ranger! It's going to take a lot more than silly, bright rope to hold me! Mua ha ha!" With a roar, he ripped free of the Thunder Whip, its pieces dissolving into fragments of light. He then turned his gaze on David, who was unable to stop his free fall. "I like my Rangers like my sushi: RAW!" He jumped up, clamping his massive jaws down on David's middle, sparks from the suit flying as he screamed in pain. Crocigator took a few chomps, but in desperation, David brought the Dragon Sword down in his free hand, slicing the demon across the nose. Crocigator roared in pain as he tossed him out of his mouth, sending him to the ground beside his brother.

Adam bent down next to David, worried. "Bro, you okay?"

David groaned as he struggled to stand up with his brother's support, his suit charred where the teeth had gotten him. "I'm still in one piece, somehow, but if we can't think of a way to bring him down, neither of us will be for much longer."

Crocigator rushed forward, bringing his claws down in an X, and slashing them both hard across the chests, sending them spiraling back and to the ground. "Ha! I told you! You humans can't beat me! I'm smarter than you, stronger than you, and faster than you!"

Morphaeus, from his vantage-point, stepped back in a mixture of jealousy, anger and hurt pride. This ridiculous excuse for a demon was beating those Rangers senseless! If that idiot succeeded where he had failed, it would be the end of his role as a General. Worse than that, he would never have the respect of another demon again! He couldn't let that happen.

Before Crocigator could charge again, three bolts of green energy flew out of nowhere, hitting him in the chest and sending him back. Crocigator struggled back to his feet, looking around the beach, trying to locate the source. "Huh? What? Who did that?"

Morphaeus stepped calmly from behind a rock formation, his sword held loosely in his hand as he stalked forward. He spoke to the Rangers, but he kept his eyes on Crocigator. "You two are pathetic. I don't understand how I managed to let you beat me, just so you can go and disgrace all three of us by getting thrashed by this idiotic excuse for a lizard!"

Crocigator gripped his chest, where the blasts had hit, as he stared in shock at Morphaeus. "Morphaeus! General Morphaeus! Why did you do this? Why are you helping the humans?"

Morphaeus growled, clenching his fist to keep his anger in check. "I'm not helping the humans. I'm helping myself! If I let you beat them, my reputation will be ruined! The Rangers are just lucky that you're in my way for the moment. After you're gone, I'll destroy them, myself!"

David groaned as he and Adam forced themselves up. "Great! Just what we needed! First, Crocigator, now Round 3 with Morphaeus!"

Crocigator roared in anger. "No! Those Rangers are mine! They insulted me! They called me stupid!"

Morphaeus groaned, as if he was developing a headache. "Crocigator, you idiot! You are stupid!"

He was so distracted with his complaining that he didn't see Crocigator until it was too late. The giant lizard charged, like a great battering ram, hitting first Morphaeus and then the Rangers, scooping them up and throwing them over his shoulders like pebbles, stopping and laughing only when they hit the water with a splash.

"Ha, ha," he laughed. "Now that you're in the water, it won't matter how many of you there are! No one can stop me in the water! Ha, ha!" He ran up to the edge and jumped up into the air. "Belly Flop!"

Joe woke to the sounds of water lapping up beside him. When he opened his eyes, he was in a cavern beside the water. He sat up, looking around. "Where am I?"

"In my place," a boy's voice answered. Joe turned to see the blue-haired boy.

"You! You're the boy from the lakefront! The boy who jumped off the cliff, then disappeared!" The boy nodded happily as he dipped his feet in the water, and Joe leaned closer. "What's your name, boy?"

"Mellifus," he answered simply, as if it were as common as Roy or John.

"Mellifus?" Joe repeated. "As in the Dragon of the Water?"

The boy nodded again. "Yeah! You're pretty quick for a human!"

"But that's impossible! Mellifus must be thousands of years old! You're just a kid!"

The boy shook his head this time. "You're thinking like a human. I am a kid, but dragons live much longer than humans do, and they develop at very different rates." The boy looked up at him as a teacher might look down on a student. "You assume that just because I'm a kid, that I must not be very old, and I'm not, as dragons go. But I'm older than any human alive."

Joe held his hands up in surrender. "Wait a minute! You're telling me that you're the same Mellifus that fought against the demons thousands of years ago?"

The boy smiled brightly. "Yeah. That was fun! I'm looking forward to doing it again!"

Joe just continued to stare, dumbstruck.

The boy looked back sympathetically. "Still having a hard time believing it, huh? Here, maybe this will help!" He pushed himself off of the edge, disappearing below the water's surface. Soon, however, the surface of the water began to shift, and soon waves were crashing up against the edge. In moments, a great blue dragon broke the surface, with fins where the others had claws, and gills on its neck, right under its head.

Joe staggered back in fear and surprise.

The dragon chuckled as it bent its great neck toward Joe, backing him into a corner. "What?" it asked, as innocently as a mouthful of teeth would allow. "This is more of what you expected, isn't it?"

Joe nodded, then noticed his mouth was open. He shut it, then forced himself to answer. "Well, yeah, I guess, but when I saw you as a kid, I guess I, I …"

"Didn't expect me to be so big as a dragon?" Mellifus finished for him.

Joe rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Yeah."

Mellifus threw his head back and laughed, shaking the cavern and forcing Joe to brace himself against the wall to keep from falling down. "That's the same thing my last partner said!"

As soon as the echoes from the laughter began to fade, what the dragon said began to soak in. "Partner," Joe asked. "Is that what I am? Your partner?"

Mellifus grinned widely. "Well, of course! Why else do you think I'm here? I'm sure we're going to have lots of fun!"

Joe grinned, embarrassed again. Then his mind went back to the fight. "What about the others," he asked, his face going serious. "My friends are up there, fighting that crocodile thing, and I don't even know how they're doing! If we're supposed to be partners, can we get started? They could be in serious trouble!"

Mellifus' grin faded. "You humans are always in such a hurry to get on to other things. But, I guess you're right. Here," he said, tossing a bracelet with a blue water drop on it. "If you're going to be able to handle the trip back up, you're going to need this."

Joe caught it in one hand and strapped it to his wrist. "Okay, let's see how this thing works! Blue Dragon Water Power!"

David opened his eyes to find himself under the water. The suit allowed him to breathe, but his actions were still slow and uncoordinated under the water. Ahead of him, he caught a glimpse of Adam, who had his foot caught in a root.

He made his way over, and as soon as Adam's foot was free, they made for the surface.

As they broke into the open air, they looked around the area. Adam spoke first. "Where are they? Where's Morphaeus and Crocigator?"

Something grabbed them by the ankles and yanked them under again. When their vision cleared, they saw two large sets of claws coming at them. Underwater, there was no way they could dodge, and they were sent spinning back into the underwater rock wall.

But before Crocigator could charge again, something green flashed in front of them. As it stopped in front of Crocigator, they could tell it was Morphaeus, his form sleekened and finned to allow him better underwater movement. Even his sword had sleekened for the underwater environment.

Adam saw their chance and tapped David on the shoulder before pointing up, and they both made for the surface again.

As they climbed back onto the bank, David looked back. "I never thought I'd be cheering for Morphaeus!"

Adam shook his head. "Me, neither. Let's just hope he can pull it off."

Back underwater, Crocigator let out a growl. "General Morphaeus! What are you doing?"

"I told you," the shape shifter answered, "I'm getting you out of my way! Those Dragon Rangers are mine!"

Crocigator's growl turned into a roar. "No! They're mine! Lord Kligaden and Lady Kara said I could have them! I won't let you take them from me!"

Morphaeus's eyes narrowed as he brought his sword back. "I don't remember giving you a say in the matter." He charged forward, but Crocigator brought his claws up to block. However, Morphaeus's form was faster, and all it took was a dip, and his sword found its mark, sending Crocigator back.

Crocigator stomped furiously, like a spoiled child. "What's wrong? I should be unstoppable in water! It's my element! There's no way you could hit me!"

"That's your problem, Crocigator," Morphaeus answered. "You depend on a single element, while I am a master of all of them."

Crocigator roared. "No! I can't let you beat me! I promised Lady Kara I wouldn't lose!" He surged toward Morphaeus.

"I'm going to have to make you break that promise!" Morphaeus braced himself for the impact, but he underestimated Crocigator's power, and he was slammed up against the rock wall, causing it to shake all the way up to where Adam and David were.

They stood up, trying to keep their footing, but lost it, and fell into the water again.

As they sank back down to the level of the fight, Crocigator looked over from where he had been continuing to slam Morphaeus into the wall. "Hey, look who's back, Morphaeus! It's the sushi boy!" He let go of Morphaeus, who began to sink further, as he shifted his focus back to the rangers.

Adam reached for his whip, but David put his hand out to stop him. "No! You can't use that down here! You'd fry us all!"

Adam lowered his hand as he looked over at him. "Well, I'm guessing your fire powers are going to be pretty useless down here, too, so what do you think we should do, oh fearless leader?"

"I've got an answer for you," Crocigator yelled. "You just sit there like guppies and let me crush you!" He surged forward, but before he could get to them, something shot past him, throwing sparks as it hit him across his abdomen. "What the ... What was that?" He turned to follow it, but it turned around and dashed back by him again. He spun back, trying to put distance between whatever it was. "No! Is that you, Morphaeus? Back for more, are you?"

"I'm not Morphaeus." The blur dashed through again, stopping in front of Adam and David, holding a spear-like weapon in front of him, with a blade on either end.

"Another ranger? And this one's blue? You guys just keep on popping up! Just how many of you are there?"

"As many of us as there needs to be to beat you!"

David looked toward the new ranger as he thought he pinned the voice. "Joe?"

He turned around and nodded. "You know it! You guys aren't the only fish in the sea anymore!"

Adam reached forward and put his hand on Joe's shoulder, treading to keep his position. "And, man, are we glad for that!"

Joe nodded, then thumbed up. "You guys get topside. I'll take care of him."

David and Adam nodded, then made their way for the surface again.

Crocigator began stomping again. "What's the deal with everyone today? First Morphaeus, and now a new ranger! Why can't you people just stay out of my way?"

"What can I say?" Joe shrugged as he grabbed the spear by the middle and twisted it apart, wielding it like two swords. "Maybe you're just not cut out for this line of work!"

Crocigator roared. "I'll show you cut out!" He rushed forward, slicing, but Joe brought one sword up to parry, and sliced the demon across the stomach with the other. He reached forward and grabbed him by the neck.

"What do you say we get out of the water and go meet up with the others?" Going into a blur again, he shot up towards the surface, shooting several stories above the water's surface as he sent Crocigator hurtling to the ground. As he landed, Adam and David stepped to either side of him, weapons already out.

"Ready for round 2, Crocigator?" Adam asked, holding the whip out in front of him.

"This time, you'll find out who's really stronger, faster and smarter!"

Crocigator slapped the ground with his claws before standing up. "I already know! It's me!"

"News flash, water boy," David yelled, jumping forward, "you're all washed up!" His slash hit home, and Crocigator went spiraling back.

This time, Crocigator was only able to climb to his knees. "No! I can't be beaten by ... by ... these humans!"

Adam's whip shot out, sparking as it slapped the ground. "For the last time, calling somebody what they are isn't a very good insult!" With a flick of his wrist, he sent it flying toward him, but a sudden blast knocked it back.

Lady Kara jumped down from a cliff she had been watching from. "Hiya, boys! I told you we'd be seeing each other again."

David held his sword at the ready. "You again?"

Kara feigned a hurt look. "Oh, you're not happy to see me? Darn ... I thought we hit it off really well last time. Ah, well. I was always better at second impressions, anyway!" She stabbed her staff into the air as black lightning began to spark out of it. "Powers of Darkness, hear my plea! Lend your powers to this monster of the sea!" The black lightning increased, then shot up into the air, coming back down on Crocigator. He roared as he grew to a gigantic size. Kara smirked. "Have fun, boys!" She jumped back and disappeared.

Joe looked down at his fist. "Here goes nothing! Blue Water Dragon Zord!"

Behind him, the entire lake seemed to surge up behind him, then burst like a huge balloon as Mellifus came out, sending waves crashing up on top of them.

As the rangers struggled out of the water, Joe looked up at Mellifus. "What are you doing? Are you trying to kill us?"

Mellifus put one fin over his eyes. "I'm sorry. I guess I got kinda carried away ..."

David groaned. "This is turning out to be a _very_ long day! Red Fire Dragon Zord!"

Adam nodded. "You got that right! Yellow Thunder Dragon Zord!"

As the other dragons appeared, lightning flashed over them and they went metallic, turning into zords, then they shifted into the battle modes and landed before Crocigator, standing at the ready.

Crocigator laughed. "You Rangers think that just because you hide in some soda pop cans, that you'll be able to beat me? Well, I love soda pop, and I'm gonna open you up and drink you down! Ha har!"

He rushed forward and slammed into them, sending sparks flying as the zords staggered. They stumbled around and got behind him again.

"No way," Joe yelled. "What in the heck? This guy's got so much power, there's no way we can take him! Half my meters are already in the red from that one attack!"

"Mine, too," David agreed, looking over them in a hurry. "We've got to keep moving, and we have to split up! Come on, let's move!"

"Right," Adam said. "I'll take front. You two take sides."

The red and blue zords charged forward so they surrounded him.

The red and blue zords charged forward so they surrounded him. Crocigator looked around at them, grinning.

"Har har... you're trying to make a circle... I can still see all of you with my eyes!" He turned and pointed at the blue zord, glaring.

"And you blue person took my element more than Morphy... I'm gonna tackle you down so bad that you'll be really hurt! Ha Har..." The over-sized reptilian lunged at the blue zord, wrestling it to the ground.

Joe glanced at his meters again, "Uh... Guys! How about some help here?"

"We're working on it!" David looked over the control panel frantically, "There's gotta be some kind of weapon or something on this thing..."

"There now, see where violence gets you? No help, human type!" Crocigator slashed at the downed zord's head, causing sparks to fly.

Morphaeus watched the battle from the ground, fuming at Crocigator's impending victory. "That loathsome wad of sloppily assembled river-bottom scum... I've had enough of this." He stabbed his sword into the ground as he began to glow with a green energy. In a moment, he began to grow to giant size right behind Crocigator. In a flash of green lightning, a giant version of his sword appeared in his hand.

"Hey, Crocigator!" As Crocigator turned around, Morphaeus swung down, knocking the lizard back off of Joe. "I told you once, already. The rangers are mine!"

Joe didn't waste any time getting his zord back on its feet and getting back beside Adam and David as Crocigator stood back up. "General Morphaeus! I won't let you take them from me! They're mine!"

Morphaeus started to speak again, but then stopped as he seemed to think. "Fine, Crocigator. You want them? Take them. But they'll beat you. Because you're nothing." He turned and tossed his sword to David, who caught it in surprise. "You want a weapon? Use that."

David looked down at the sword in surprise. It glowed as it interfaced with his zord automatically, and his gauges automatically went out of the red, almost slamming clear to the other side.

_David_, Phlogiston's voice came into his head, _the energies from the demon's blade are surging through me! If we strike now, while the surge holds, it might be enough!_

David nodded. "Right! Let's do this!" Fire surged from the zord over the sword as he charged forward. "Dragon Fire Charge!" The fire exploded to cover the entire zord as its speed increased to massive proportions. There was an explosion of fiery energy as he struck Crocigator in the chest, and then he passed through him, stopping on the other side of him.

As he stood up, Crocigator roared in pain, collapsing to one knee. "You … filthy humans! General Morphaeus! Lady Kara will hear of this!" He gathered up his energy and disappeared into the ground.

"Alright," Adam hollered from inside his zord. "Another one down! Way to go, David!"

"Not quite," Morphaeus said, turning toward them. "You're forgetting, there's still one demon left." He held out his hand, and David looked down in surprise as the sword disappeared, returning to its master's hand on command. "Now, it's my turn!"

He charged forward, running between Joe and Adam, and slicing across the abdomens of their zords. They went down in a shower of sparks.

"Shoot!" Joe slammed his fists on the console in anger. "Darn it! What the heck? We didn't even have time to react!"

Adam began going over his gauges. "I'm all in the red. I don't even have enough juice to start auto-repair!"

David grit his teeth as he stepped back, hands up in front of him. "Darn … I can't fight him unarmed and on my own!"

Morphaeus let out a low chuckle as he turned to David. "It's payback time, red ranger. And this time, you're not getting out of it in one piece!" He charged forward.

David looked down as his gauges started going haywire again. "What the heck?" He felt the controls lock as Phlogiston forced the zord into autopilot. Fire flared up from the sword arm again as it came up, the fire shooting out into the shape of a sword, solidifying an instant before Morphaeus's blade clashed against it.

Morphaeus seemed as surprised as David did. "What? Where did that sword come from?" He stepped back, defensive in his surprise.

David grinned as the controls came back on, and he brought the sword up into a ready position. "Awesome. The interface from Morphaeus's sword must have left an imprint on the system!" He pointed toward Morphaeus. "Get ready, Morphaeus! You want round 3? You've got it!" He charged forward, and the two giants clashed again, sending sparks as their weapons locked.

David braced his feet and thrust forward, sending Morphaeus staggering back as he swung down, throwing sparks as his blade hit home across the demon's abdomen. As Morphaeus staggered back, he looked down at the dials. "What do you think, Phlogiston? Do we have the energy for one more charge?"

_Plenty,_ he heard the dragon's voice respond.

The zord went into the stance again as the fire burst out again, and charged toward Morphaeus. The demon brought his sword up to defend himself, but it didn't even slow David down.

"Argh," Morphaeus growled as he dropped his sword and hit the ground on his knees. "No… Why can't I win?"

The sword disappeared again as David straightened and turned back toward Morphaeus. "For the same reason that you told Crocigator: You're nothing, Morphaeus. As long as the Dragon Rangers are here, you demons aren't going anywhere."

Morphaeus hissed as he grabbed his sword again. "We'll see about that. This isn't over, red ranger! I'll be back!" In a flash of green lightning, he was gone.

Back at the demon fortress, Crocigator and Morphaeus were on their knees before a glowering lord and lady.

"You fools!" Kligaden shouted. "Not only did you both lose to those rangers and their dragons, but you got them a new weapon, as well!"

Crocigator cowered in panic. "I … it wasn't my fault, my lord! It was General Morphaeus! He got in my way!"

Kara looked to Morphaeus. "Is this true, Morphaeus?"

Morphaeus made no movement that would betray his emotions as he answered. "Yes, my lady."

Kara's gaze could cut iron. "You aren't the type to turn traitor and help the humans, so I'll give you one chance to explain yourself, only because I'm confused by it, myself."

Morphaeus still remained outwardly calm. "I want to be the one to destroy the Rangers, Lady Kara, the red one, in particular. I want revenge for my defeat. I want to crush him with my own two hands, not watch as some dim-witted lizard makes a mockery out of both of us."

Kara arched a fine eyebrow at this. "You wish to defend your honor? I should have guessed as much. You didn't rise to General for nothing." She looked to her brother for a moment, then back at the shape shifter. "Very well. Your life will be spared. However, your punishment will not." She wove a band of magic in the air with her staff, and a piece of paper appeared in the air, drifting to Morphaeus. "This is your new mission. Fail it, and there will be no more chances."

Morphaeus didn't look at it immediately, instead lowering his head in one last bow. "Of course, my lady. May my service please you always."

Back at the den, the rangers came in with hoots and hollers. Even Jesse smiled. "Well, what do you know? You made it back alive, and Joe's the new Ranger! What a surprise!"

Phlogiston, already in the room, nodded in agreement as Fulga and Mellifus came in beside him. "An impressive victory, indeed. Another dragon awoken and a new weapon to our armory. At this rate, it is only a matter of time before the other two dragons, Alluvius and Simoon, are awakened, as well."

Christie looked down as her watch beeped. "Whoops! I almost forgot! Guys, I've got to go!"

Jason looked over at her in alarm. "Why? What's wrong?"

Christie looked as if she were speaking of a demon. "Home Economics Club. I'm failing the class, so I have to join the club to help make up for it!"

Morphaeus stood outside the school, hidden behind a tree. He looked down at the paper again and groaned. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me.… No wonder they went easy on me in the chambers…." He looked up as he saw Christie running through the doors, and his eyes narrowed. "That girl … she's with the Rangers…. Maybe they picked a good place after all." His form began to shift, and soon a blonde teenage girl stood there, cookbook already in hand.

She smirked. "Better get going. Don't want to be late for the meeting…."

Next time, on _Dragon Rangers_:

A new student at Osceola High School joins Christie's after school club, but she seems to know a lot more than she's letting on, and when the rock-hard demon, Earthquake, breaks in on the party, she's nowhere to be found! Is this new girl on the level, or is she not everything she's cooked up to be? Find out next time, on _Power Rangers: Dragon Rangers_!


	4. EarthShaking Courage

Episode 4

Earth-Shaking Courage

Christie settled into her seat in the Home Ec room of the school with a sigh. "Well, here we go … Two extra hours of government torture …"

A blonde girl sat down beside her. "You got that right. I can't stand cooking. The only way I'm good at cracking eggs is against people's houses on Halloween."

She turned to look at the new girl in confusion, pausing as she tried to place her face. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

The girl smiled apologetically. "Oh, no, you probably don't. I'm sorry." She offered her hand. "I'm new here. The name's Melody."

"Christie," she answered, shaking Melody's hand. "Christie Hampton."

The teacher got up in front of everyone and tapped her pointer against the dry-erase board. "Settle down, everyone, and let's get this meeting started. Let's open with a discussion of what you want to make. This is your club, so you should learn to cook what you want to cook."

One of the girls on the other side of the room raised her hand. "Angel food cake!"

Melody grabbed at her throat dramatically, saying just loud enough for Christie to hear, "Ugh, gag me! She's probably a goody-two-shoes! No doubt, she wants it with strawberries, too!"

Christie suppressed a chuckle, and when another girl mentioned cookies, she commented in the same whisper, "Oh, yes, and after we're done, we can dress up in little green Girl Scout uniforms and sell them door-to-door!"

This earned an equal response from her partner, but it also drew the teacher's attention. "Ladies? Do you have a recipe you'd like to add?"

Melody smirked, pulling out a bottle of grape juice before leaning back in her chair. "Yeah, sure, I've got one. It's really easy. You buy a thing of grape juice, break the seal, and leave it out for a couple of weeks."

The teacher waited for her to continue, and when it became clear she wouldn't, she urged her on. "And then what?"

The girl shrugged, a grin on her face as she twisted the lid off. "And then you drink it!" She tipped the bottle up to her lips just as the teacher caught what she meant and rushed forward, grabbing for the bottle. Melody pushed her hand away. "Oh, relax, Teach, I just got it this morning." She dug into her pocket before pulling out a piece of paper and shoving it into the teacher's hand. "See? Here's my receipt."

The teacher took the receipt, reading it over before giving it back. "Fine. But from now on, I expect you both to take this seriously."

"Yes, ma'am!" Melody gave her a big smile, but as soon as her back was turned, she gave a smart salute with her free hand before taking a long draught from the grape juice.

When the teacher turned back, she addressed Christie. "What about you, Christie? Do you have any recipes for us? And in case you're considering more of your friend's humor, let me remind you that we have a deal. You have to perform well in this club to pass my class."

"Ooh," Melody commented, leaning back in her chair. "Bad luck, Chris. Better fly straight, then."

Christie took a deep breath, nervous now that she had been put on the spot. "Well … I can make a milkshake …"

To Melody's credit, she seemed to honestly try to stifle the laugh, but her juice gave her away as it bubbled about her sudden breath and she leaned back, coughing to try to clear her windpipe.

The instructor kept her gaze firmly on Christie for a moment as if to see if she were telling the truth, but finally, apparently satisfied, she turned back away. "Well, at least it's something to start with." Turning back to the rest, she continued. "This is actually good. You see, some of you may think that you can't cook, but everyone can." She gestured back toward Christie and Melody, and the latter gave a small wave. "A milkshake and … wine … That's making something. It's not a casserole or a cake, but it's still something. Everyone can cook. It's just a matter of finding your specialty."

Christie groaned as the teacher berated them for not being master chefs. "I knew there was a reason I couldn't stand Home Ec."

---

Speaking of cooking, Jesse was doing some of his own. He was at home alone for the day, his parents and his little brother out of town for a doctor's appointment. That was fine by him, though. He hated the racket of others. By far, he preferred his alone time. In fact, one of the few things he liked more than peace and quiet was a good meal, which was what he was cooking up.

"Stir fry," he exclaimed as he inhaled deeply above the pan. "Gotta love it!" He moved about the kitchen, every once in a while grabbing an ingredient or two and throwing it into the wok. "Peas, garden-fresh green beans, diced tomatoes …" He stopped, having thrown in the first two, but he began looking around for the third. "Now, where are those diced tomatoes? I know I got some." After a moment, he sighed, giving up. "Well, they weren't really necessary. Noodles … noodles are next."

He took the hot pot of noodles off of the stove and moved toward the sink to drain them, but jumped as the phone went off right beside his ear, causing him to drop the pot. He managed to jump out of the way of the hot water, but half the noodles fell in the floor and the other half flowed down the sink.

He swore loudly. "And that was the last of the lo mein, too!" He stepped around the mess and ripped the phone off the jack. "Yeah, whaddya want?"

David's voice came over the line. "Jesse? Did I catch you at a bad time?"

He swore again, holding the phone away from his mouth as he did so. If that boy was here in front of him, he'd wring his neck! "Bad time? Damn straight it's a bad time, you moron! You just made me spill noodles all over the freaking kitchen! That was my dinner! For your sake, you'd better hope this is an emergency, and I mean a REAL FREAKING EMERGENCY! Because if it isn't, you're gonna be in one!"

On the other end, David waited patiently for Jesse to vent. When he stopped, he spoke again. "Man, I'm really sorry about that, Jesse. I didn't mean to. Are you okay?"

Jesse let out a sigh. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to get some more noodles, that's all. And some diced tomatoes, since I'm going."

"Need a hand with any of it?"

"No, I can get it. What did you want?"

"Joe, Adam, Jason and I were going to play some video games and I was checking to see if you wanted to come, but it sounds like you're busy."

"Yeah," Jesse answered, cooling off. "Yeah, I'm busy. I can't come, so make sure you blow up that mouthy brother of yours enough to make up for it."

"Oh, I think I can manage that. Good luck with your noodles!"

Jesse hung up the phone. "Yeah, luck, that's exactly what I'm in need of." He shook his head and cleaned the mess up before heading out to get groceries.

---

"So just remember," the teacher droned on, "a measuring cup is not a cup, a measuring teaspoon is not a teaspoon, and although there are four quarts in a gallon, there are _five_ quarts in a commercial gallon of ice cream and thirteen pastries in a baker's dozen, not twelve."

Christy sighed as she took notes on the amount of each measurement. It was all such stupid common sense, and while all the rest of the girls seemed to thrive on the woman's every word, she got the distinct impression they were being treated like ignorant children.

Everyone grabbed their desks to catch themselves as the whole building shook and the lights flickered. "Earthquake," the teacher shouted. "Everybody under the tables!"

Melody got down under the table next to Christie and whispered, "Hey, you think it might be another one of those monsters that they were talking about on the news?"

Christie's eyes went wide. She hadn't thought of that possibility. "Oh, I sure hope not."

"It's likely, though, isn't it? I mean, earthquakes don't just happen in this part of the country, do they? I thought you guys were more into tornadoes?"

Her face grew more troubled the more she thought about it and another shockwave shook the building. "No, you're right. We don't get earthquakes." Suddenly, on impulse, she jumped out from under the table and ran for the door.

The teacher called out for her to come back, but another shockwave and a falling light chased her back under her own desk.

A nasty smirk spread across Melody's lips, then it disappeared and she shot out from under the desk, too, following Christie out.

Outside, they could see the shockwave rush toward them, a blur of brown energy rushing over the ground. On reaction, they both jumped over it, rolling into a crouch as it passed under them.

"Hahahahaha … Well, well, well, what do we have here?" A large stone behemoth stomped toward them, the ground shaking beneath his feet. In his hands was a mace with a spiked end as large as a beach ball. "Shouldn't you two girls be huddling under something? It's dangerous out here, with all the seismic activity, and all!" In demonstration, he brought his foot up and slammed it down. The shockwave that shot out from it knocked them clear off their feet, and both of them landed on their backs.

The demon laughed again. "Oh, yeah," he yelled, his voice like a Texan wrestler, "that one always knocks 'em dead!" He drew back with his mace and moved to slam it down on top of them. They each rolled in opposite directions as it hit the ground between them, causing a fissure to shoot across the ground, opening up between them.

Christie got to her feet as quickly as she could, looking over to see Melody do the same. "What the heck _is_ this blockhead?" she asked as she looked toward what the fissure had done by shooting under the school parking lot and the fragments of the pavement fell down into the hole.

"Ya mean ya haven't figured that out yet, babe? I'm Earthquake, the rock-solid demon that's gonna shake this whole town up!"

Melody narrowed her eyes. _Why are there so many idiotic demons?_ The thought moved through her head as she spoke. "I can't say I'm really impressed with your act, knuckle head. In fact, you're _almost_ the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen!"

Earthquake let out a laugh at the remark as a group of Demonkin appeared around him. "Really? Well, maybe my warm-up crew will make a better impression! Get 'em, boys!"

Half of the Demonkin went toward Christie and half went at Melody as the two girls braced themselves for the attack. The first that came at them were each met with a hip toss, then a turn kick to the ones behind them.

They continued to fight for their lives, even though the Demonkin simply got back up every time they threw them down, and eventually, Earthquake got bored and drew up his mace once more, holding it pointing straight down by the handle. "Oh, get it over with, already!" He slammed it down as a large shockwave shot out from him, tearing up Demonkin as it made its way toward the girls.

Melody's eyes widened as she saw it coming in. "Looks like it's time for me to step out." She disappeared just as the wave hit the position she had been standing, sending the Demonkin flying and covering her exit.

Christie, unfortunately, didn't have the same escape, and the attack sent her flying backwards, slamming her up against a building before she fell to the ground.

Earthquake made his way over and picked her up off of the ground with one hand, grabbing her by the back of her shirt. He chuckled. "Not so much fight in you now, is there?" He continued to chuckle as she groaned then reared back and tried to kick him in the chest, but his rock body wasn't even budged by it. "Whoops! Looks like I was wrong!"

She let out a yell of frustration. "Let me go!"

Jesse had been driving home when he passed the school on his way and slowed to a stop as he saw the destruction. Then his eyes settled on Earthquake and his cousin. "Oh no." Before he stopped to think, he had put the large truck in gear and floored it, yelling at the top of his lungs, "Put her down, you freak!"

The large farm truck slammed into the demon at the legs, knocking him off of his feet and onto the hood, smashing the window and causing Jesse to lose control. Catching a glimpse of the brick wall of a storage shed ahead, he threw the door open and jumped out, rolling roughly to a stop as the vehicle smashed into it. He covered his face as the truck exploded on impact. He watched it for a few moments before hurrying over to his cousin.

"Christie! Are you okay?" he asked as he helped her up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," the girl answered, leaning against him slightly. "Thanks." She looked around. "Where's Melody?"

"Who?"

"Melody," Christie explained. "She's a new student. She just started today, apparently. She came outside with me when the tremors started."

"Tremors?"

Instead of speaking, she pointed toward the flaming ruins of the truck and shed. As if on cue, there was an ear-splitting sound of tearing metal as the remains of the truck were lifted free of the ground by two massive, stone arms.

"Oh shit …"

The demon grinned as he stepped out of the hole, took the remains of the truck in between his hands and lifted it up above his head. "Dirty trick, bub! Really a low blow! Hittin' a man from behind with a diesel, talk about cheating! Take it back!" He slammed the truck into the ground with so much force that it sent a fissure shooting toward them.

On impulse, Jesse shoved Christie to the side just as the ground fell out from underneath him and he fell into the depths below. As the light faded from the sky above him, he could hear his cousin screaming his name as her voice got further and further away.

---

"Oh man!" David shook his head, dropping the controller. "I never thought I'd be dead last!"

"That's because you kept focusing on your brother and you weren't paying attention to where we were," Jason answered as he stood and made his way to the kitchen.

"Yeah, whatever," the red ranger replied as he stood up to stretch. "I actually know how to play the next game, so I think you'll find it a lot more even!"

Joe shook his head as he shut off the system to change the game, but paused as the news came on. "Hey, guys, I think we've got trouble."

Adam took one glance at the television to take in the school and the report of another monster, then started toward the door. "Showtime, people. Let's move."

David grabbed his coat as he and Joe followed. "Hey, I'm the red ranger! That's my line!"

---

When Jesse finally came to, all he could see was darkness, so much so that he half-doubted his eyes were actually open. He could feel rock under his back, but it was smooth, not the rubble he was expecting. But how far had he fallen, and where was he now? Better yet, how was he even alive?

Not one to question fate for long, he rolled over, groaning a bit in anticipation of pain and surprised when none came. Apparently, he wasn't the only one.

"Strange," a deep voice echoed from somewhere beside him, "I did not sense injury on you. Are you in pain?"

Jesse glared at the voice. "No, I'm fine."

The change in the voice suggested it didn't like the tone he took. "Then why do you groan as one trampled by a herd of elephants?"

Jesse's tone sharpened again in response. "Because that's how I expected to feel! Or however you're supposed to feel when you fall hundreds of stories and live to feel anything."

"And no doubt you would, if you had indeed fallen hundreds of stories and lived to feel it. It is fortunate for you, then, that I was able to stop your fall." A large, clawed hand brought about a boulder covered in fluorescent moss, lighting the small room enough that Jesse could see his savior, a massive black being with arms the size of red oaks and a frilled head that could only identify it as a dragon.

Jesse narrowed his eyes, and his tone seemed almost accusatory, but knowing him, that was probably normal. "Let me guess. Alluvius."

"That's right." The dragon reached over and grabbed something before throwing it over to him. "Come on, gotta get moving if you want to save that girl."

Jesse caught it and turned it over. A black morpher with the emblem of stone.

---

Earthquake stomped over and hauled Christie up with a laugh. "Now, where were we, Babe?"

Christie struggled for a moment, then saw a flash of dark lightning land silently behind him and she grinned. "You were just about to get your face smashed in."

This drew another bolt of laughter from the demon. "Oh yeah? And just who's gonna be doin' the smashin', Sugar?"

Her grin was unfazed, and this time, her gaze was obvious. "He is."

He spun about just in time for a large, black sledgehammer to slam into his face from a sideways swing, knocking him backwards as he released the girl in pain. "Agh! Who the blazes …" He pulled himself up and glared at the man in the black suit and helmet. "Let me guess. You're one of those Ranger brats I heard about!"

"You could say that. Except I specialize in turning freaks like you into gravel!" Jesse rushed forward, swinging again as Earthquake brought his mace up to parry, but the black ranger followed up with a kick to the demon's middle, sending him down again. He scoffed. "How pathetic … Is this it? This is laughable. Morphaeus and Crocodile must have been much more powerful than you are to give the others so much trouble."

For some reason, this drew a chuckle from the rock demon. "Fancy you should mention General Morphaeus …"

Jesse caught his gaze a moment too late, whirling about just in time to catch the shape shifter's sword across his middle and causing him to spin backwards.

"Yes, you're right, he is pathetic if he can't even handle one of you annoying children." Morphaeus' mouthless face seemed as if it would be grinning if it were capable of such a motion. "That is why I'll be giving him some of my power." While the Ranger was still trying to pick himself up, he moved over toward Earthquake and put the tip of his blade on his shoulder. "This is not my mission, and this is not the Ranger I'm interested in, so this is the only aid I'll be giving you. You fail this, and it will be the last you see of the battlefield." Green energy surged from the demon's arm, down through the blade and into Earthquake, lighting him up. As the glow engulfed them both, Morphaeus disappeared, and in his wake, the large demon had grown to gargantuan size.

Jesse pulled himself up and glanced back to Christie. "Cuz, go inside! Hurry!" As she nodded and ran back inside, he turned back to the giant. "I guess I'm bringing it up a level, too! Let's see if I've got this right! Black Earth Dragon Zord!"

The ebon form of Alluvius rose up through a fissure as it split across a faraway plateau, pulling himself up out of the earth with his massive arms. He got a running start, then jumped into the air as wide, black wings opened up from behind, allowing him to take to the air. The light flashed over him as he became a zord, and Jesse jumped up into the air to meet him, entering the cockpit and taking over, causing the zord to land before Earthquake.

"Boy, don't get me wrong, I've heard plenty of your dragons," Earthquake said in response to the entrance, "but if you think one tin can is gonna stand up to my mace, you're in for a whole world a' hurt!" He ran forward, bringing his mace down toward the black zord, but Jesse brought his hands up, and the sound of metal hitting metal echoed through the air as he caught it by the hilt.

"You know what your problem is? You don't know when to shut your freaking mouth!" The black ranger threw the controls forward and the zord shoved against the rock demon, causing him to go crashing to the ground, his mace falling beside him. Alluvius held its massive hand out as black lightning crackled around it before solidifying into a large sledgehammer. "Now, where was I before we got distracted? Oh, yeah …" He drew the hammer back in both hands as Earthquake brought his arms up in front of his face. "Dragon Rock Smash!" The zord began to spin the sledgehammer around in circles as he ran forward, jumping up to bring it slamming down on top of the demon. The heavy hammer smashed right through the rock-hard demon, shattering it into a million pieces as it exploded.

---

Jesse and Christie were at the end of the school driveway when red, yellow and blue lightning splashed down in front of them, leaving the other three rangers standing there. The boy, with an annoyed glare, spoke first. "Yer late." He held up his wrist to show them the morpher. "I already did your work for you." He turned his glare on David, specifically, as the three of them de-morphed. "Lucky for Christie you made me spill my noodles, or the whole school would be flat by now."

Christie shoved his arm playfully. "Aw, Jesse, you know you didn't mind it one bit. Lay off of them. I'm sure they came as fast as they could."

David looked at Jesse with a shocked expression. "You _soloed_ the guy? On your own?"

The new ranger arched an eyebrow. "Is there any other way to solo something?"

"Aw, man …" The red ranger slapped his forehead. "I'm never gonna hear the end of this …"

"So you're a wimp," Jesse answered, smirking finally. "Deal with it."

_Next time on Dragon Rangers:_

When Lady Kara and La Tornada brew up a storm bigger than anything the Midwest has ever seen, will the Rangers be able to put an end to the devious diva duo before Osceola is blown to the four corners of the Earth? Will even a fifth Ranger and the unsealing of the final dragon be enough to save them? Find out next time on _Power Rangers: Dragon Rangers_!


End file.
